Customer Reviews

Live at the Murat

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Hard to believe I'm the first to say that this is one of the finest live albums I've ever heard. 'Live at Leeds' comes to mind. The common ground between Umphrey's and the Who may be that both are (were) at their peak and are following a classic studio recording (in UM's case 'Safety in Numbers') with a BRILLIANT concert. Umphrey's McGee has honed their reputations on live improv, group improv, and they improvise on the level of the great jazz cats. Rare for rock. I've seen 'em 6 - 8 mind-numbing times, but this one may have surpassed all that I've seen. Obviously ('specially since most every show is downloadable) they couldn't NOT release this one. 5 *****

Quick artsy summary of Umphreys if you're new to them. Umphreys Mcgee are to music like David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest is to books. They're maximalist and progressive in how their large oeuvre layers time signatures, musical styles, key changes, references (and covers) of other songs, bands, or popular culture. On first listen some folks may dismiss their assault of "fast as possible" solos and song exploration as pointless 80s hair-rock-noodling, yet many would argue their approach to music is very contemporary, modern, and intelligent all while catchy and fun. That being said, there's going to be two schools of thought on this one.

For folks yet to hear what this improvisational behemoth actually does in it's marathon song explorations, it's an overwhelming intro, just as Infinite Jest would explode the brain of a casual reader. Umphreys is a live band for this reason, as their music is best measured by multiple concerts, and one live album barely scratches the surface of their catalog of hundreds of original songs. I'd actually send neophites to the stellar DVDs (Live at Lake Coast shows a growing band on the warpath, Wrapped Around Chicago shows a more polished and theatrical performance). Hearing these live concerts is still 5% of their live stimuli overload, and this is quite an atypical show to start with. Visually, you can see the band using their self-developed set of hand gestures to signal musical changes in the middle of a song, or how they use the light show and soundboard as band members. It's like hearing the soundtrack to Cirque Du Soleil without seeing the acrobats, maybe musically great, but missing the bigger picture.

For Umphreys fanatics who have already fallen for them, this is a fun but quirky live release. It's misleading to call this their "first live album", as the band makes every one of their concert recordings available for paid download online in quite good quality (and have hundreds of recordings free on [...]). What sets this apart is that the sound quality rises even further above the umlive releases, they handpicked some uncommon songs (or alternate arrangements), and they chose to release highlights from 2 concerts instead of one night. The boosted sound quality gives alot of depth to the stellar rhythm section (who are on fire on "Electric Improvisation", "Angular Momentum", and...well Meyers just is ALWAYS on fire!). The In the Kitchen stretch is a fun exploration of a normally simple catchy song. There's ALOT of crowd participation that is unique to these shows, including funny moments. I generally find the 2nd disc as the better of the two worth more repeated listens.

Overall, five stars for the stellar live album, but unlike the review by Hudson Valley Slim, I think Umphreys still has yet to release their definitive Live album like the Who's Live At Leeds [Deluxe Edition] (7 star), either to be released down the road or to be found in the umlive releases. In the meantime, get the dvds and see as many concerts as possible, and pick up cds like this as an artifact and milestone of their brilliant output.

Great live disc from a great band. Don't miss this one. The musicianship is outstanding. These guys can play! Umphrey's is finally beginning to get the recognition they deserve - check out the review of their new disc "Mantis" in Entertainment Weekly. Consumate musical alchemists.

They are easily one of the most innovative, hardest working bands in the whole music scene. I can't think of any other bands that could match their ability of playing all the different styles of music that they incorporate in their live shows, and recordings, everything from funk, blues, classic, to heavy prog-rock. The best thing about Umphrey's is that they haven't even come close to reaching their peak yet. They have plenty of time to evolve their already amazing shows and albums.

Love these guys, never let me down. So much energy and enthusiasm on stage. Everyone should check them out at Wakarusa 2011 !!

This is such a great live recording of an incredible show!! The setlist played this night is wonderful! The recording is so crisp its almost like you're there! I never miss an opportunity to see Umphrey's rock out! They always do so at Wakarusa Music Festival! I can't wait, I hope their performance this year tops last years!!

If you like Umphreys Mcgee and other similar artists, Check out WAKARUSA 2011!!
Umphreys will be there, plus many more!
Check it out at Wakarusa.com!
You wont wanna miss!

As has been noted elsewhere, to truly experience Umphrey's McGee at their best you need to see them live. They have two particularly good studio albums ("Anchor Drops" and "Local Band Does OK"), but their improvisational flights in concert are what make this band truly exceptional. The Murat album is a two-disc set containing selected moments from a two night residency in from of what amounts to a home town audience. The sound quality is sterling, but one could argue that the choice of material does not quite show the band at their absolute best. Some day we'll get to hear impeccably-recorded live versions of songs like "Divisions". "All in Time", "Hurt Bird Bath", and others, but for now this is one very fine album that is still highly recommended. One should also note that the band also generously issues two free 80 minute podcasts every month for FREE. By all means check them out (see the band's website or iTunes for details on this). In the meantime, support this wonderful band by attending one of their live shows or (next best thing) ordering up this live disc!

Live at Murat is excellent. UM all is about the live experience & these discs capture it well. If you're a fan you either already have it, or won't get it b/c you have all the downloads. I have all the downloads & I still bought this. I am happy w/ the purchase.

If you're not yet a fan, UM is difficult to describe...rock, jazz, blues, fusion, prog rock, modern rock, post-modern rock, jam band...to scratch the surface. Do not expect much like Phish or Widespread Panic. UM is less singer-songwriter oriented, less arena rock-y, less classic rock-y than them. I think UM has more depth & breadth. I also think there is no UM w/out Phish & WS. Murat is an accurate snapshot of UM's style, virtuosity, & variety. If you like some/all of Murat, you'll find more in their catalog that appeals to you. If you don't like any of it, move along. This set is a good start for newbies.

I gave it 4/5 stars, b/c I have all their downloads. After having 50+ hours of their music, & hearing these 2 discs...some small part of me can't help but say, "Yeah, that's good but..."

Another great release by UM. Their live shows are why they are, who they are...and this captures alot of what you can expect to experience when you go see them live. Anchor Drops and Local Band Does OK are 2 other amazing CDs. Hell...you really need to get both their live DVDs if you wanna have some fun! But see this band and often, and you'll be glad.

Gianni