Customer Reviews

Roadrunners!

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This is a mixed bag of live and BBC recordings from both the post-Alan Price edition of the original band, and the later New Animals of "San Franciscan Nights" fame. Sound quality varies, but the obscurity of these tracks more than compensates. The Beeb tracks include one Price number, a faithful rendition of "Heartbreak Hotel." Other highlights include gritty takes on "Inside Looking Out" and "Maudie" plus a fantastic version of "Jailhouse Rock" that comes within shouting distance of Elvis (honestly!). Barry Jenkins almost steals the show with his knockout drumming, and Zoot Money's organ washes are utterly scintillating. There's also a raw set culled from the New Animals' tour of Australia, highlighted by spirited versions of standards like "Shake Rattle and Roll" and "See See Rider." The version of "When I Was Young" is also strong and the groovy radio announcer at the end is a trip. Burdon's Monterey appearance is showcased in a pair of freakout versions of "Ginhouse Blues" and "Hey Gyp", both of which are way too long and too self-indulgent. This is the weakest part of the album by far. New Animals fans will adore the 1968 tracks from Stockholm which feature the band at its psychedelic apex. As goofy as it sounds on WINDS OF CHANGE, "Yes I'm Experienced" really rocks on stage (especially the killer feedback rave up---and Eric's rap at the end is hilarious), and the other tracks ("Paint It Black", "San Franciscan Nights" and "Monterey") are faithful, though edgier recreations of the group's studio versions. Vic Briggs always claims the band was much better on stage than in the studio and this set backs him up, mainly because Burdon's often wearying improvisations are kept to a reasonable minimum. Grab it if you dig Burdon's post-1966 work (although Glen A. Baker's liner notes are so fawning they're worthless).

Until the Who finally cracked the American marketplace the Animals were the third most important of the British Invasion bands. They had several big hits in America without compromising their musical integrity.
However, when the original band broke up, the New Animals failed to make consistent recordings and did severe damage to the Animals original reputation. The New Animals were a kickin' live band and that is what we get with this release. That combined with 3 or 4 tracks by the original band make for an exciting collection.
The early stuff sounds great and is played well. The later stuff varies in recording quality but is consistently on the mark musically.
In short, this is recommended for old and new fans and, hopefully, helps people remember how good both incarnations of the Animals were.

Thank god for the Aussies, this little jewel has come out of no where. If you like live performances of Eric and the Band (don't care which band). This has a live version of Hey Gyp that is eight minutes in length. Funny how the great cars have gone out of style. Anyway, must have for hard core fans.

This stuff sound pretty good and was recorded at various live shows in 1966-67. I can say that it is quite worth having if you love this band. Or even if you want some great blues rockin material live. It's not like todays live recordings of course but it's still got the power of the band live and clear enough to satisfy. There really isn't a live recording of the animals doing this stuff other than this pretty much. This band is a classic one and will stand the test of time. Here we get some great live stuff with average quality and that's ok for me.

esta agradable edicion recoge temas en vivo que nos muestran el paso de eric y sus animales del british blues a la nube psicodelica que los albergo años despues..grabaciones del 66, 67 y 68, con sonido regular, pero historicas, donde se puede apreciar la evolucion de la banda..hasta se puede advertir el cambio de imagen..de la corbatita a los extraños collares!!!!!!! no es un album imprescindible para aquellos que no estan al tanto de las aventuras de eric, pero para muchos es un documento muy valioso.

This is a very uneven collection of live material, mostly from the Animals "psychedelic" days, but the first three songs make this a "must" for die-hard Animals fans. "Heartbreak Hotel," "Corinna, Corinna," and - above all - "The Work Song" are rare gems from the Animals early, bluesier lineup. "The Work Song" is an absolute classic, and it's surprising that it was never released as a single. (On second thought, its sympathetic portrayal of a black prison convict pining for his woman may have been a bit too edgy for a single in that era.)

Almost as good are "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Corinna, Corinna, both of which are also in the blues-rock style of the original Animals. As for the rest of the CD, some it will appeal to fans of the later Animals, but for me the first three tunes were by themselves worth the price of admission.