Customer Reviews

River Sessions

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This excellent live set provides a good chronicle of CdeB's early career. The recording quality is great (I was a little worried when I heard that it was taken from a radio broadcast, but it sounds fine.) The audience is vocal but not intrusive and all the early "hits" are accounted for.
Unfortunately, these hits are performed so similarly to their studio versions that they offer no original interpretations for the hardcore fan. "Carry On" segues neatly into the opening of "The Traveller" to provide an interersting curtain raiser, but nothing particularly special is done with the song thereafter.(Unlike the spectacular live version of "Last Night" used in the later '80's tours) "Crusader", "Spanish Train", "Spaceman", "Country Churchyard" and "Broken Wings" follow a similar vein; great songs but not really enhanced by their stage versions, although the extended jam in the middle of "Patricia" is nice to hear.
The real gems of this album are some of the lesser known tracks that are revamped for a live audience. "Sailor" moves up a notch in the concert setting, "Eastern Wind" is played with real menace and "Tourist Attraction" (which I thought was album filler on the studio version) is pumped up to a high tempo rocker and is the standout track of the disc. Special mention must go to the album closer "The Painter". On record it was always the poor man's "Patricia", but live it takes on a new vigour and makes a perfect concert finale, a real pleasant surprise!
Disc 2 is only fifteen minutes long and the interviews are pretty weak, but it does have a couple of really nice solo renditions.
In conclusion, if you are a casual listener looking for a good introduction to CdeB's early work, you'd be better off going for the "Best Moves" compilation. If you are a fan, buy this disc. It is not life changing but you will not be disappointed.

Recorded at the legendary Glasgow Apollo on November 8th, 1981 as Chris toured in support of the compilation album "Best Moves", "River Sessions" catches Chris at a critical point in his career. After nearly 7 years of nonstop recording and touring, he is clearly on the cusp of becoming a headlining act. The following year, he released his seminal album "The Getaway", which galvanized his following in Europe and Canada, and the single "Don't Pay the Ferryman" became his first venture into the US Top 40.

"The River Sessions" features one of the earliest appearances of the musicians that would become Chris's touring band for the next 14 years, and the set list features some tracks - especially from the 1980 album "Eastern Wind" - that are rarely heard live (even as Chris continues to tour into 2006).

The second disc features an interview and two solo studio performances recorded at Radio Clyde in Glasgow on February 3rd, 1979.

A great live set!

How many times is CdeB gonna try to sell us and re-sell us the same material. Obviously he has been in a state of writer's block since he has trouble creating new material. Oh, Chris how could you sink so low?