Customer Reviews

Live at Largo

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

 

 

The day the music died for me is the day Toad the Wet Sprocket called it quits. I went home that night, locked myself in my room, and listened to all their albums back-to-back, mourning an era of music come to an end. But then former lead-singer Glen Phillips launched a solo career and started touring small venues across the states. I had never seen Toad in concert and regretted the chance, so I made it a must to catch Glen live when he came to the Soiled Dove in Denver, CO. Incidentally, a pre-fame John Mayer opened for Glen at that show. The concert was intimate, sad, full of laughs and some pining for great music's past! Live at Largo captures those same feelings perfectly. Just Glen and his guitar. His playing is spot-on and his chops sound as if he hadn't missed a day of performing since his time with Toad. To me, Glen's solo material is inching out on the plank a little more from where Toad's music came to an end. The lighter songs got a little sillier (Drive By) and the darker stuff got more morose (darkest hour). The 17-song (plus intro) set includes mostly new solo stuff and new-new material, but littered throughout are a couple of TTWS tunes including 2 of my favorites, "Crowing" and "Something to Say". If this disk lacks anything it's the humor I saw on display at his live show. Glen is a Very funny man. Unfortunately his humor doesn't come across here as his comments in between songs are few. This is a must own for Toad fans and those who like great music at its rawest--just a guitar and a great voice.

I've been a Glen Phillips fan since I was 10 (back in '91 when Toad was hitting their prime with the album Fear)...his lyrics have touched me that no other songwriter could ever come close to.

Recently I lost a book of CDs that contained one of my beloved bootleg Glen shows. This cd has become more than a replacement for that old Glen show, pretty much because it carries a wide selection, and since it was done particularly to sell on the market, has excellent sound. I love this show recording more than his debut album, Abulum, because it really captures the essence of what it's like to sit in front of Glen and just have him serenade you, singing his heart out like the angel he is.

For old Toad fans, of course, this is a must-have. For those of you who are fans of quiet acoustic songwriters such as John Mayer, Damien Rice, Jeff Buckley, .....buy this album and discover a weathered veteran who carries more soul and genuity than anyone else trying to jump on the single-acoustic-singer bandwagon.

I have seen Glen perform in Denver, CO, several times now and he never fails move everyone in attendance with his powerful songs and lyrics. I think Glen's strength is his ability to tap into emotions that everyone can relate to in his songs. This CD is very simple...just Glen playing acoustic guitar and singing live in concert. But the strength of the songwriting really comes through. "Crowing," "Something to Say," and "Comes a Time" are some of my favorites. His vocals display a lot of emotion and this CD draws you in.

My girlfriend and I were fortunate enough to see Glen Phillips perform at Largo in December (05) and had an absolute blast. While both of us were/are big Toad The Wet Sprocket fans, we thought that that era of music had past until I came across Winter Pays For Summer earlier in the year. Listening to that, it became clear that Glen still had a great deal to say!

The live album provides a terrific reminder of how great it was to see Glen perform. While for the most part it lacks his cerebral quibs, the music and feel of the album is an accurate testament to that evening. The mix of solo and Toad numbers provide a great flow and I for one think that the versions of certain songs here far surpass their studio predecessors (Crowing, for one). All in all, if you loved Toad, you'll love Glen, and if you're in the LA area, check to see if he's playing at Largo - it's really a wonderful evening.

This album is nothing less than outstanding. I saw Glen during the tour when this was released & it truly represents how great his live performances are, let alone the depth of his music and lyrics. This is a must have for any Toad fan or any fan of music that has depth, emotion, and brilliance.

If you are a Toad fan, pick this up. If you are new to Toad, pick this up. If you've never heard of Toad, pick this up. You will not be disappointed.