Customer Reviews

Live March 2001

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This album is good. No, better than good. Irresponsibly good. Good with reckless abandon. That said, let's get down to what makes it good. I own every 16 Horsepower official release, including the other live album ("Hoarse") and the live DVD, and this one blows those two out of the water. At least for song content anyway. After all, seeing them play live is better no matter what songs they choose. The reason I hold this one in such high regard is because it isn't too heavy on songs from "Folklore" (like the DVD) and isn't too short (like "Hoarse"). This double-live record, recorded shortly after the release of "Secret South", is certainly heavy on songs from that album (nine of them to be exact), but is still amazing none the less. Actually, most of the live versions of those songs sound better than the studio, and the other songs are nothing to put down either (i.e. Haw, Harm's Way, Dead Run, Coal Black Horses). But I think my title of favorite song on this album has to go to their cover of "24 Hours" which in my opinion is even better than the original by Joy Division, displayed here with the first thirty seconds of which sounding like the coolest Tool song you've never heard. My only main complaint with this CD is that they left out "Black Soul Choir"; the first 16HP song I heard, one of their most genious, and still probably my favorite. That said, I still give this album five stars. Although, now that I think of it, I am a little biased. My favorite albums from these guys are "Secret South", "Sackcloth & Ashes", and the S/T EP, all three of which shown expertly on Live: March 2001, along with my two favorite songs from "Low Estate". I guess that really this album is part of a trilogy; each part focusing on different time periods and showcasing a different line-up of songs, every one worthy of merit in it's own way. But this one is still irresponsibly good.

Excellent live set(s) from this seminal wired-world-folk-whatever band captures the fiery live performances 16 HP was known for. The repertoire covers the band's entire recorded run, with some nice inclusions from the early EP and the band's excellent cover of Joy Division's "24 Hours." In addition to its fine audio quality, _Live: March 2001_ serves as a nice introduction to the band's entire oeuvre. To my ears, there isn't a bad 16 HP recording, and this last(?) statement of their career is an apt summation. Now, we need a live 2-disc recording from Woven Hand (Consider the Birds), D.E. Edwards' current band. Soon, please!

On this live album by 16 horsepower, you have the most beautiful versions of their songs, played live and kicking. To name a few: Strawfoot, Wayfaring Stranger, Partisan and Phyllis Ruth touch the soul.
A great live album by a great band. R.I.P.