Customer Reviews

Live!

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Bob Marley and the Wailers were really on that night in London in 1975. Like many great live albums in the pantheon of rock music they were able to find their groove early on and it does not stop until the very end of the album. Bob's singing is as passionate and heartfelt as a blues singer and often times is even more so. His "sisters," the female back-up singers, only enhance the songs because their voices are so beautiful. The guitar and bass playing is, with most reggae, rythmic and melodic and it's impossible to keep from nodding your head or tapping your feet to the beat. The guitar player pulls off some really great solos that once again only enhances the feeling of the song. The organ is rythmic and improves the already incredibly tight sound of the rythm section. It was at this gig that the legendary live recording of "No Woman No Cry" took place. Perhaps even more impressive is "Get up, stand up" which makes you want to start your own revolution against crooked politicians and everything else that is wrong with this world. "Stand up for your right"... that's damn right, Bob. My favourite tracks have to be "Trenchtown Rock," a perfect opening track, "Lively up yourself," "Get up, stand up," and a SWEET song called "Kinky Reggae." The bass playing on that song just makes me wanna cry from joy it is so good. Even though it goes without saying, buy this album as soon as possible. One Love.

The definitive Bob Marley live document, re-mastered with care by Island Records. Very nice, bright sound (my old vinyl LP is a bit muddy in comparison). You can even hear the harmony singers' hand claps in the background!

Recorded at the height of his popularity in London, this album gives an overview of Marley's first 3 international LPs with some truly smokin' versions of "Trenchtown Rock," "Burnin' and Lootin'" and "I Shot the Sheriff." The high point for me is the rendition here of "No Woman No Cry," way more soulful than the studio version.

Bonus track on this CD is "Kinky Reggae" which, if I recall correctly, was the flip side of the "No Woman No Cry" single in the U. S.

One of the greatest reggae albums, and one of the handful of truly essential live documents. It captures a time, catches a fire. Highly recommended.

This live album from Bob Marley and his band The Wailers was my introduction to Bob Marley and reggae music in general. It promptly turned all preconceived ideas I had about reggae inside out. From that moment on, I was a believer. The first time I saw this album, I was thinking to myself, "Reggae, what's so special about that? It all sounds the same, anyway." How wrong I was!

First of all, the sound is spectacular. This performance sounds clean, fresh and lively; as if it were recorded yesterday. Every little thing can be heard clearly. Even so, it's not so clean that it becomes sterile and lacking in character. There's still the energy and authenticity that gives a concert something special.

Secondly, this album has all the classic songs to make it worthwhile as an introduction to Bob Marley's music and indeed reggae in general. Just check the track listing.

Also, the versions of the songs to be found here are fantastic and each musician is really impressive. Anyone who says that reggae is formulated, boring or predictable has yet to give this album a chance. This version of The Wailers has a real western/rock oriented approach to the music and it's really easy to hear why they have begun to appeal to a rock audience. Besides, the playing is fantastic and has plenty of feeling.

You shouldn't any more reasons to buy this album. It is just plain fantastic and made a staunch believer and convert out of me.

Live! from 1975 marked the introduction of Bob Marley and the Wailers to the mainstream in Eurpoe. The smach hit No Woman No Cry from this album is a song everyone knows, reguardless of where they are from or what type of music they like. This is not a full show, but rather songs taken from 2 nights at the Lyceum in London. The sound is good quality, but at certian points in the recording you can tell that the venue and or the recording equipment are probably not the best. For a first live album this is very good. All the songs have a greater power live than in the studio. You can really tell the band stepped it up for these performances, and the vibe they give off here to the predominately Jamaican audience in London is right up there with any other Bob Marley and the Wailers concert. Many of the band members recall the Lyceum shows as one of the many highlights from the decade. The performances buy the Barrett brother's (bass and drums), AL Anderson (guitar), Alvin "Seeco" Patterson (percussion), Tyrone Downie (keyboards), The I-three's (backing vocals), and of course Bob Marley are simply jaw dropping. The band is at it's best, and if you like powerful concert performances, this cd is one you should not live without.

Bob Marley was making critical waves but not until the release of "Live" in 1975 did he also break through commercially.

"Live" (8 tracks, 45 min.) was re-released in 2001 with a remastered sound and one bonus track. The energy is bustling throughout, starting with the opener "Trenchtown Rock". The band is in top form throughout. This album of course includes the mega-hit "No Woman, No Cry", released as a single and enormously successful. But there are some other great jems, such as "Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)" and "Get Up, Stand Up". The bonus track, not found on the original (vinyl) album, is an equally outstanding "Kinky Reggae".

It is obvious that this is a milestone album in the Markey catalogue. But I still have to wonder why, to this day, the entire show of this legendary London July, 1975 concert hasn't been released. And in my book (which is of course a subjective feeling), the 1978 live album "Babylon By Bus" is even better.

I'm not a reggae fan, but it doesn't prevent me from giving this album the 5-star rating it deserves. This is reggae at its best. Excellent recording quality and an excellent performance that will get anyone tapping their foot. Bob Marley's down-to-earth style never gets old and his energetic voice, coupled with some really nice percussion, a good groove, and backup vocals make this album a book you can't put down! Highly recommended.

Marley's studio work has always bugged me a tiny bit. I mean, the two albums of his I've heard (Natty Dread and Rastaman Vibration) are both solid works, but I don't really like how he insists on dragging so many early tracks back into the fray. I also find myself scratching my head whenever he involves Rastafari, seeing that I am not a Rasta.

But this live album, it's a whole different story. The setlist isn't really all that creative (Other than Kinky Reggae and Burnin' `n' Lootin', anyway), but that's what's good about it-just a bunch of Bob Marley classics, no more, no less. Trenchtown Rock is one of his early songs. As I mentioned before, I usually don't care for most of them, but this is really an exception! Then there's Lively Up Yourself, which puts a whole lotta enegy into the album. An instantly catchy riff and lyrics about either a) sex, b) partying or c) riots (depend on who you talk to), this is definetly a classic!

The second side does a heckuva job in lining up Bob's three best-known songs (in my opinion, anyway). First, we have this album's resident classic, in the form of No Woman No Cry. If the only version of NWNC we had was the Natty Dread take, I'm sure the song would've been forgotten. But this, to use an enormous cliché, immortalizes it.

Another good tune is I Shot the Sheriff, one of the best-known reggae tunes ever composed. Doing away with the funkiness of the original, we instead get a swaggering organ riff and great backup singers. And, of course, there's Get Up Stand Up. This one's sang almost like a rap, only about fifteen years before rap sadly became mainstream. In the meantime, this is a good song.

Lastly, we have bonus track Kinky Reggae. A light-hearted romp about sex and ganja, it eventually evolves into a loose jam and an introduction of the band. The song is great, and will stay in your head forever, even if it's been weeks since you've heard it last.

Of all the Bob Marley albums I've heard, this is my favorite. I wore out the record but the CD is better because you can let it play straight through, and let me tell you, this thing cooks from beginning to end. Even the one slow song "No Woman No Cry' cooks. Marley's urgent vocals are backed by one of the world's greatest reggae bands and complimented by the I Threes here. Buy this CD, clean your CD player's laser lens, put this on & turn it up very loud so you can hear all the subtle melodic & rythymic complexities happening behind the driving beat & vocals. From "Trenchtown Rock" to "Get Up Stand Up', you will be awestruck by this powerful and historic recording. If not, you're probably chronically un-hip. See my review of "Toots and the Maytals Live' to further rock your world.

It's live but it's probably his best. That's usually unusual, because live albums reveal nothing new and usually aren't very good jams. But this album is the exception not the rule. Check it out.

"Burnin' and Lootin'" is great live and is an awesome song. "Them Belly Full(But We Hungry)" is another great live work on this album that just captures the song. "No Woman, No Cry" is one of the best recordings here. And Marley and The Wailers do a great job of really jamming here. My highlight of this record though is "I Shot The Sherrif" which is always been a great song, but really stands out on this version with some great live work. "Get Up, Stand Up" is another standout of this record. While I don't own many Bob Marley cds. I have to say this is probably the best he's done and it's got some of his best hits. Pick up this CD even before Legend. You will not regret it.

Bob Marley And The Wailers' Live! (1975) was recorded during their Natty Dread Tour at the Lyceum Ballroom in London, but it feels like Jamaica. The enthusiastic and largely Jamaican crowd obviously loves Bob Marley and his reggae music, and he gives them what they came for. This album is everything a great live album should be.

There's an exciting balance of love, exuberance and desperation on Live!. You can hear it and you can feel it. The political and cultural vibes are clearly defined, and there's a strong communal spirit that runs through each and every song. This music can make you happy, and it can make you think. It's electrifying. Trenchtown Rock rocks!

The centerpiece on the album is the seven-minute anthemic No Woman No Cry. The improvised audience sing-a-long and the wonderful performance makes it so very clear just what this night meant to everyone who was there.

A soulful and rockin' reggae version of I Shot The Sherriff sounds fantastic, and the uplifting Lively Up Yourself is energetically positive and Bob Marley at his best. He gets political with Burnin' & Lootin' and Them Belly Full (But We Hungry), and philosophical with Get Up, Stand Up. Everything here rocks, and the special talent and unique charisma of Bob Marley is not in short supply on Live!. His love for music and enthusiasm for performing is evident in every song.

There is a bonus track, Kinky Reggae, where Marley introduces the players on the stage while the band jams. It fits in nicely here and wraps things up well.

Live! is a great place to start with Bob Marley. The music is great, and the essence of the man and his legend is clearly experienced when listening to the album. Digitally remastered to sound better than ever, this famous recording of the legendary London concerts really delivers. The lyrics to all of the songs are included along with some great photos from the shows. It's an essential part of the Bob Marley And The Wailers catalog and a must-have for fans, but it really doesn't matter what your favorite music is, this is definitely worth hearing.

"Lively Up Yourself..."