Customer Reviews

Live at the Hammersmith Apollo London

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

 

 

"Im back home in London England" are the cries of Alexander O'Neal i nthe opening track "Innocent"
"I Thought You Knew!" He bellows out to everyone.

Well being one Alex's biggest fans, I certainly know. I've been to see Mr O'Neal over 10 times since 97 alone. And I was lucky to be at this gig which has gone on to be the live Album. He Loves England, he had a few words to say about his country america - not the nicest I may add.

It was a wet November night in London, where Alex performed to another packed out crowd.

He goes through all his hits, "What Can I Say" is truly electrifying. His ballads are always his forte. "A Broken Heart Can Mend" sends shivers down my spine everytime he sings it. "The Lovers" is just pack full of that soulful melody that Alex hits so well.

It was nice to see him do tracks from the All true man album - four in fact. The title track, Sentimental, Shame on Me (was the first time i'd ever heard him sing that live) and the encore track What is this thing called love.

Of course the big tracks were on display. Criticize and Fake are both there - going on for over 10 mins each. The two major ballads are there too - Sunshine is just fantastic. And you get the 5 minute bedscene which leads into Alex's defining song - If You Were Here Tonight.

100 Minutes on here - and this has been edited down so you can imagine how good it was to be there.

Alexander O'Neal is the best Live performer I have ever seen. He is amazing. And for many Americans it is a shame that they will not really see much of him as he has adopted England as his new home.

Don't miss out on this wherever you are - spend the money and buy it.

Alexander O'Neal's first live album finds the soul man in fine voice and very much at home at London's Hammersmith Apollo. O'Neal still enjoys a loyal and active fan base in England and in a reciprocal gesture still tours his adopted country regularly. What's clear to those who have seen him perform live first hand is how competent he is on stage: every note sung in tune, every note sung in time, and a great audience communicator.

All these qualities are portrayed on this album. Those who have not attended an O'Neal concert may find the intermittent periods of chatter tedious without any visual context; but for those who have (me included) the CD serves as a superb memento. The material includes all the major hits from his first two albums as well as some more recent numbers, all delivered by a fantastic eighteen-piece band. Many of the songs here have distinct advantages over their studio counterparts - O'Neal and his band are much more spontaneous, the performances are more raw, and his personality lends the music a great passion. One complete listen to this album will leave you with just one sentiment: oh, to have been there.

Being in the recording industry for years, this is a breath of fresh air coming from Alex Oneal. Considering recording artists like Madonna and Britney Spears (to name a few) who lip snych off live pre-recorded tracks during most of their performances. Alex sounds great and is a man of true talent. I believe these days in the Industry looks and dance skills may get you a recording contract and noticed but they're not looking for longevity. Congratulations Alex.

As one that has long admired the grittiness of O'Neal, I looked forward to his first live album. A singer that had a slew of hits in the late eighties through early nineties, O'Neal disappeared from the American music scene but has had considerable success in his adopted England, where this album was recorded.

Though his voice shows signs of having aged, O'Neal still effectively expresses his skills as a vocalist as he runs through several of the familiar songs of which he had chart success. The band that accompanies the singer is first-rate, backing him up with some truly funky and distinctive arrangements of the songs, most penned by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

The weakness of the release lies in the fact that O'Neal is not good at audience repartee. His "laughs" sound staged and he doesn't provide any interesting asides as he makes the seques between songs. His occasional use of expletives delete from his stage performance, seeming to make him sound a bit too "streetwise". He peppers too much of his banter with 80's lingo/sayings that makes him appear dated.

Most "live" recordings allow the listener to learn more about the performer; unfortunately, what one learns about "Alex" here is a bit detrimental to his character.