Customer Reviews

Mystery White Boy

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

If you own Grace, aren't prone to purchasing an artist's entire collection, and may not be partial to live albums why click to order this CD?

Because each track is a showcase of Buckley's uninhibited, without apology, take it or leave it songwriting, interpretation, and rendering. Because it is clear producers Michael Tighe and Mary Guibert really worked to construct and produce a better than "best of" live experience. Because audience clutter serves to enhance rather than detract, adding to the emotion Buckley hurls from himself and wrenches from the listener, starting with Dream Brother, perhaps climaxing on Eternal life, and ending breathlessly with Hallelujah/I Know it's Over medley. Or perhaps simply because of the little gem in The Man That Got Away, an Arlen-Gershwin song.

Mystery White Boy is a gift for those of us who never saw Jeff Buckley and his band live.

Jeff Buckely's is one of real triumph over death. The tragic loss of the young, soon-to-be- household name came at a time when the world was just discovering his music. This is a live album that is unusual in its feel because you can hear a pin drop while the album plays. The audience treats the songs with the reverence of prayer in a cathedral and Buckley's voice rises to the roof like some ancient spirit showing itself to remind us of its otherworldly power. The intense delivery of Big Star's "Kangaroo" and the haunting "Dream Brother" are poignant reminders of just how Buckley's voice was not so much a physical talent...it bordered on being a natural force. Again, Buckley's voice swells like a fearsome tide for "Grace" and settles for the beatific "Hallelujah". This is a live album that shouldn't be missed if you are a fan of Buckley...and certainly one you should catch if you are looking to get a feel for the magnetism and presence of a performer who left us too soon.

The major difference between Jeff and his father Tim was the fact that Tim was talented; Jeff was a genius. Jeff was often accused of stealing from his father but dismissed the alligations by saying "The only thing I ever stole from my father was a fleeting glimpse." They'd met only once.

The genius of Jeff Buckley is showcased on this collection of live performances. Recorded all over the world, you can hear Jeff perform mostly his tracks from 'Grace' as this tour took place before most of the "My Sweetheart, The Drunk" sessions.

The closing track, Jeff's rendition of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' and The Smiths' "I Know It's Over" moved me more than anything I've heard in a long while. His voice is so beautiful that it's chilling and no one has ever been able to outperform Morrissey's vocals like Jeff has. Other standout tracks include "Last Goodbye" recorded in Paris and "What Will You Say?" On the Australian release, you can find a remedy to the one huge oversight on the American release: A lovely version of Jeff's finest track "Lover, You Should've Come Over". It's well worth the extra cost for the bonus CD.

In a day of horrible talentless swine like Dave Matthews and Limp Bizkit, any recordings of Jeff's are a must. Jeff offered no gimmicks, no b.s., and he never catered to anyone. Everything he did came straight from his heart and it's showcased here. Simply brilliant!

While writing a review I try to be as honest as I can and to maintain a certain composed manner. That is to say that I try to be objective without letting my personal feelings be too evident.However, if I'm writing about Jeff Buckley I just cannot avoid speaking as a passionate fan. This new live album makes all your defense mechanisms fall apart.How can you restrain yourself from saying what you feel about this music if Buckley himself was so honest in the way he communicated with the audiences? This album show us how impressive he could be while playing live, making you come to terms with all those grey areas in your soul that you desperately try to avoid. However, from this confrontation you also come out renewed. Jeff Buckley makes you feel like opening your heart, walk on the street and cry outloud all your emotions, say the words you were not capable of... and scream: I'm alive and this is the way I feel! One particular aspect of this superb collection of live performances is how alive they seem. This becomes particularly disturbing when you think that although he died, he feels so alive. These performances clearly show Jeff in all his humanity, his musicality, his honesty, his dignity, his total engagement to music. Wonderfully conceived in technical and artistic terms, this album has love in every inch of it. Extraordinary mum, who made this album come true.I can only say that it is a privilege to have been touched by Jeff's music. He lives within us, forever.

In the tradition of fallen rock stars,Mary Guibert (Jeff's mother)released the post-humus"Scetches" to crtical acclaim,as well as the scorn from his former band mates(Jeff had scraped the Sketches sessions).But that was then,now for "Mystery White Boy",Micheal Tighe;Jeff's former guitarist,has come aboard to help sift,and compile a wonderful compilation of his 95-96 tour.Having seen Jeff myself live,all I can say is that this best represents everything amazing,magical,and truly unique about him.And what's best about this album,is that it's really more than another live album,it's a testament of what's missing more and more in the music of today:passion,pure unadulterated passion.And the inclusion of three new songs,just makes it all the better.This album is a must!My only complaint is that the Australian version includes an extra disk,of unreleased tracks that would have made this version even better,but I guess the die-hard will have to buy the import.Other than that,a small complaint, Mary has done a fine job of assuring her son's legacy,not falling down that dark path of post-humus second-rate recordings we've seen happen through the years,ie Hendrix,the Doors,etc...This album is a triumph,as well as sad tragedy,as it reminds us of what was,and what could have been...

The live disc MYSTERY WHITE BOY consists of twelve tracks selected from Jeff Buckley's 1995 tour, mixed together to sound like a single concert. I found the release disappointing, especially in contrast to the superior DVD release LIVE IN CHICAGO and the import LIVE AT L'OLYMPIA.

About the only great thing I can say about MYSTERY WHITE BOY is that it has great sound. Whilst the audience is hardly audible, the performance is consistently clear.

Jeff Buckley was one of the greatest musicians of the 90's, but when I first heard MYSTERY WHITE BOY I couldn't help but feel that it was a collection of some of his worst moments. Buckley's cover of Alex Chilton's "Kanga Roo" lacks passion, while the version on LIVE IN CHICAGO stands out as one of his most innovative performances. The version of "Grace" here is the weakest we have, and is difficult to listen to after hearing the savagely beautiful L'Olympia rendition. Furthermore, the disc lacks "Lover, you should have come over", a great tune from GRACE which appears on all other live releases.

If you want to hear a superb live recording from Jeff Buckley, I'd recommend getting LIVE AT THE L'OLYMPIA, a recording of a single Paris evening in 1995 which Buckley considered his finest performance. If you want visuals and lots of on-stage banter, LIVE IN CHICAGO is what you're looking for. MYSTERY WHITE BOY is only for completists.

I was lucky enough to see Jeff at his first Australian gig at The Metro in Sydney in August '95. It was the most powerful couple of hours of live music that I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing - breathtakingly, jaw-droppingly incredible.

This album is, above all else, honest. It captures the essence of a Jeff Buckley performance, warts and all - the power, the poignancy, the improvised gems - Jeff having the courage and the conviction to just go with the moment, to follow wherever the music might lead him. No gloss or pyrotechnics - just brilliant, transcendent music.

There's no denying that it's pretty raw at times, but for those of us who yearned for the opportunity to see Jeff play just one more time, this is undoubtedly the next best thing.

Credit also to Mary, Michael and the rest of the band for pulling together such an inspired playlist. This is a recording very much for Jeff's fans - a must have (as if I needed to tell you that).

There's just not that much to say. Please listen, and listen hard. I've gotten to the point of realizing there is no talking about this guy's music. Just shut your eyes and listen. And miss him.

Finally, the long anticipated live album from the late Jeff Buckley. And was it worth the wait? Most definitely. Following the release of his debut album Grace in 1994, he spent 1994-96 on the Unknown, Mystery White Boy and Hard Luck tours. This album brings together just some of the moments from those shows. Jeff's mother Mary Guibert (who has been heavily involved in keeping Buckley's music alive) and Micheal Tighe (Grace and tour guitarist) produced this, the first live album. The tracks were selected from scores of concert tapes, and according to Mary, are the "individual performances that represented transcendent moments from each of the concerts we'd identified as being in the `overall outstanding' category". Apparently the album is an accurate representation of a common Buckley set. There is the obvious lack of music from the Sketches For My Sweetheart The Drunk album, but the presence of new songs, mixed with obscure and brilliant cover choices, certainly makes up for their absence. Previously unreleased tracks include I Woke Up In A Strange Place, What Will You Say, and Moodswing Whiskey. The Grace covers, Hallelujah and Lilac Wine, are in there, as well as Kanga Roo and I Know It's Over (The Smiths).

Mystery White Boy begins with Dream Brother, which clocks in at a staggering 9 minutes long. This particular track really sums up the feel of the whole album, a journey that takes you from the quietest of quiets to the highest of highs. Throughout the course of this album you certainly begin to notice what an exceptional vocalist and creator of atmosphere Buckley was. I don't think it is possible to compare him to any other artist or class him in any genre. It wouldn't do Buckley justice. He creates spiritual and innovative music, evoking something in the soul, which only a rare individual like him could possibly achieve. Mystery White Boy is imperfectly mixed, but it's something which only adds to its charm.

Some would say that his premature death is the reason why so many people are intrigued by Buckley and his music. I believe that his death merely cut short a musical career that had only just begun. If you have never heard Jeff Buckley before, you might want to start with Grace first so that you can fully appreciate this live performance.

For anyone who's never heard Jeff Buckley sing before, prepare to break your heart. The late, young musician has a vocal presence that is absolutely unearthly. Buckley was also a noise enthusiast (some of his early heroes included Led Zeppelin), but the swirling romanticism of his songs like "Last Goodbye", "Lover You Should Have Come Over," and "Mojo Pin" are unforgettable. And when he does covers of Nina Simone's "Lilac Wine", Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," and Big Star's "Kanga Roo," you're not likely to hear better (not even from their original artists).

****If you already own his one and only complete studio album "Grace," treat yourself to this live album. The dynamics are rawer, and non-"Grace" tracks like "I Woke Up in a Strange Place" and "What Will You Say" give a shimmering stage to what could have been.