Customer Reviews

Live

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Poco's "Live" was released in March, 1976 to complete a contractual commitment the group had to Epic Records after the group had signed with MCA/ABC. Poco, the quintessential high harmonizing, good timin' quintet who first mined the fields of pure country-rock, was down to a 4-piece band for this live compilation(original co-founder Richie Furay had left the group a year or so earlier)which contains selections from November, 1974 gigs in Milwaukee, St. Louis and at Yale University. While the group had settled into a comfortable groove as a quartet, the record doesn't quite capture the raucous excitement of a bonafide Poco concert---but not for lack of quality material. The songs of "Live", will get you up and buzzing, although none of the Poco tunesmiths included (Timothy B. Schmit, Rusty Young and Paul Cotton) had hit the full stride as songwriters that future years would hold for all three. Cotton's "Ride the Country", "Bad Weather" and "Blue Water", coupled with Schmit's "Restrain" are typically excellent. The instrumental skill of pedal steel guitarist extraordinaire Young is well demonstrated on "Fool's Gold" and "Rocky Mountain Breakdown" while his "High and Dry" gives the record some rocker zip. Schmit also does a superb cover of Furay's "Good Feelin' to Know" to close out the LP, tying together the newer Poco songs with one of the best Poco tunes ever. An added benefit is being able to hear drummer George Grantham singing several impressive high harmony parts, which were much more subdued when the band was a quintet. Nonetheless, Poco "Live" is a group in transition, and at the time the band was upset that Epic chose to release a concert set to complete its obligation, feeling that they had left a myriad of other studio tracks in the can from which Epic could have compiled a quality Poco recording. This was one of the last Poco recordings to be released on CD, (11/00) and contains only 9 tracks (3 of which are in a medley). Still, it is essential to anyone who prefers the upbeat, tight harmony country rock that was Poco's trademark.

Poco really rock out on this 1975 album with the Fab Four (Paul, Rusty, Tim and George). On the first track, a medley, Rusty Young shows his incredible instrumental versatility switching with extreme ease from pedal steel to banjo and back again, whilst singing complicated four-part harmonies! Truly a great musician - I would challenge anyone to find a better pedal steel player - the only one on his level is Buddy Cage from NRPS.
Also, has any man ever sung higher than drummer George Grantham?! Check out his ridiculously high, yet wonderful top harmonies in all the track, especially 'Rocky Mountain Breakdown' and 'A Good Feelin' To Know'. My band-mate was stunned to learn that Tim B. Schmidt who sang the top harmonies when he went to the Eagles was only the second-highest harmony singer in Poco.
Paul Cotton's songs are great, with a really nice slower version of his classic C/R ballad, 'Bad Weather' and the intense 'Ride The Country'. 'Angel' is also incredible complimented by a haunting pedal steel whine from Rusty.
Unfortunately Tim B. Schmidt's song on this album is not his best (I believe his best is 'Starin At The Sky' or 'You and Me'), however 'Restrain' is decent and nowhere near the depths of some of his worst songs on the albums (like 'Just Call My Name' and 'Skatin').
His cover of Richie Furay's classic 'Good Feelin' To Know' is a real pleasure and showcases his great pop voice, as well as Furay's own talent at songwriting.
'High and Dry' is a fun C/Rocker, however I feel Rust Young wrote his best songs in the late 70s.
All in all a great live country-rock album from one of the least-known bands of the genre. Poco had a really unique sound and it is a shame that no-one (except me) under 55 knows this of this band. Poco is an antidote to all the depressed/depressing sh*t that seems to dominate the radio or, even worse the so-called 'rock-revival', merely bands rehashing ACDC riffs
Ride The Country, indeed!

POCO started creating that very special West Coast mix of country, folk and rock that later bands like The Eagles got rich on. This album, the last one to be released under the Epic/Sony contract, includes selected tracks of a 1975 show, presumably taped in St. Louis (the sleeve notes are pretty basic, to put it mildly) highlights the four-man band (minus Richie Furay) in a good-time rockin' mood.

The sound quality is a notch above the the earlier "Deliverin'" live release (1972), and Paul Cotton's five-minute "Angel" (not on any POCO studio album) is worth the price of this album alone.
Four stars only because Sony stuck with transferring the original vinyl album to CD, i.e. no bonus tracks and no additional information which should be expected of a re-release 25 years after the original LP version.

One of the first concerts I went to was Poco in Saint Louis where some of this cd was recorded. I went to a lot of concerts back then.....I just don't remember much about them!! This show was one that stuck in my mind. I had never seen so many people sitting quietly, mesmerized by the music of a truly under-rated band, only to erupt in standing ovations after nearly every song. This cd is much too short, but every track will have you giving a standing "o" of your own with each listen.

Having been a long time Poconut, I was extremely excited to pick up this disk as soon as it was released to replace to well worn lp I've had since 1975. I love this stuff! With or Without Richie Furay, this band really cooks (and it still does folks!). I fell in love with Poco when on a whim I bought their first live album, Deliverin' back in 1972. Every album these guys have released has been a jewel in the country-rock crown. This version of Poco plays a flawless yet varied arrangement of some of their most interesting songs. I just wish Epic or One Way Records would have had the foresight to include additional material from the concerts that these selections were chosen from. Hey Sony, how about some other treasures from the vault? Say a concert or two? Other unrelease gems, etc. Pleeeaaase!

This album has all the earmarks of a typical live record of that era that was made to meet a record company obligation. It has none of the originality of the band's classic live Deliverin album and features a smattering of tunes in more or less their original form. Poco fans would be better served to pick up The Last Roundup if they want to get a taste of the live performances of the "fab four" lineup of Cotton, Schmit, Young and Grantham.

All that said, seven Poco tracks are better than none and there are no weak moments on this record. Despite this, I came away very unimpressed by this album. I give it three stars only because it is Poco and it is actually a very listenable, although not inspiring, record.

I always come back to this one, my favorite Poco album! Very short indeed, and I was expecting extra tracks on the CD reissue....It could be twice longer!...so let's hope that one day, it will come true, to make this fantastic concert even more appelling. DeLIVErin' was hot,electric, fast, very dynamic. The songs on this concert are often slower, but, can I say, more profound,more mature?This is Poco at its really best, Paul, George, Rusty and Tim, starting with a medley ("Blue water/fools gold/ Rocky mountain") that I would call bluegrass rock. I miss the piano, fiddle and mandolin parts from the studio versions, but this medley works perfectly as a whole, a progressive and very challenging tour de force. The fast pace make my feet itchy!Then you have "Bad weather". It used to be a Cotton song, now it becomes a Poco masterpiece as Rusty, George and Tim are much more present in the song. Paul's voice is even better, less sharp.And then "Ride the country". Like many other live Poco songs, this version improve vastly upon its studio predecessor (I think a good thread could be done on this Poco achievment). The continual change of pace and rythme makes this number so exciting. To explain the difference between country rock and new country, try this one...Line dancers will struggle!..but their ears will expand!Next is "Angel", my favorite. I Love the intro "à la Deep Purple". Rusty gets the sound of the organ through his steel guitar...spooky, very athmospheric. "High and dry" : I Love the guitar on it. George is fantastic on this one too, pushing his mates forward..and Tim, Gosh, his melodic bass lines are magical."Restrain" Another slow one, but not a romantic ballade though. They manage to keep an intensity, with rythmes changes, a fantastic guitar riff and high notes.Then "A good feeling to know"...without their former leader, Richie, they do a tremendous job, you tend to forget that he is not around as Tim is so efficient on the lead vocals. Some harmonies are a bit missing ("fee-lin, fee-lin"), at the end, but the guitar solo is a strong addition to the studio version.

I found this CD at a discount store for only $7 and didn't know much about it at the time.Even after I opened it,there is absolutely no information inside other than song titles and a few words.The patter between the songs by Rusty Young,I believe, is helpful in identifying the venue.Their earlier live album from 1970,not 1972,"Deliverin" as mentioned in an earlier interview on this page from Germany,is far superior with excellent detailed liner notes.Sound quality on the 1970 album also is a better mix to my ears.Both are bargains for under $10 and highly recommended to early Poco fans.Original LP recording was from the 1974 tour,out of print over 25 years.

I thought that Poco without Richie wasn't going to be any good. Then I saw them live and they were even better. I didn't think they could top "Deliverin" then I heard this album. Restrain is the best thing I think Tim produced in an outstanding career and all the other band members never sounded better. In particular Rusty is amazing. The quality of the recording is very good and if they had some other material to add then it would rule. as it is if you like "Deliverin'" you will love this.

It's a real shame that this CD has been discontinued; if you are a Poco fan, get it used before the price climbs any higher. Yes, it's short because it has the same song lineup as on the original LP. But the performances are energetic and tight. Harmonies are first rate and instrumental work couldn't be better and both come through superbly because of good production.