Customer Reviews

Roadworks

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The new T.Y.A. double Live Album is worldclass. Unbelievable Live Power - excellent und perfect.
Roadworks includes all the the good T.Y.A. Classics like "I love to change the world (What a extremly amazing Live Version), Love like a man/I can`t keep from crying, sometimes/Hear me calling and of course - I`m going home!
Thats the music of four outstanding musicans (with the fantastic Joe Gooch on the leadguitar), includes also some splendid new material from the "Now" studioalbum - "Roadworks" is super and for me one of the best Live albums of the year 2005.

Roadworks is my favorite live album in my life. T.Y.A. (in the new line up) is the best live band I`ve ever seen.
All numbers on this CD`s are on the highest rock/blues level, Ten Years After plays better as in the seventies. Ten Years After "Now" FOREVER!

If you want a cd that will blow your socks off of you, get this one. With Joe Gooch now playing lead guitar for TYA they haven't lost anything. The whole band just cooks on this. I just hope they come to San Francisco soon. Alvin Lee we love you, but Joe Gooch I'm looking forward to many more recording with you at the lead. This is old time rock and roll at it's very best.

Amazing - You can't put this band down, just buy it and turn the volume up

Wow! One question I have to ask is, where the hell has this fellah Joe Gooch been hiding? The guitar skills displayed on this double CD are remarkable, and the vocals are carried out very well too. It was great to see that Gooch is not copying Alvin Lee in every detail on the classic songs (Eg there is no "How how how"(Trademark Lee grunts) etc on "Goin home). The new songs from "Now" were the songs which impressed me most. All of them are great great driving Blues Rock, and on the song "Reason why", it brought memories of "Roadhouse Blues" and the Live version of Status Quo's "4500 times". The Rhythm section of Ric Lee and Leo Lyons is remarkably tight, and the keyboard skills of Chick Churchill shine brightly. It is obvious that this band are enjoying themselves once again. I never met ALvin Lee personally, but I did meet Ex Ten Years Later Bassist Mick Hawksworth a few years ago, and all I can remember of that chat was the mention of Alvin Lee having one hell of a big Ego. However, I do predict one thing though, and that is for Joe Gooch to follow in the footsteps of another current Blues Rock hero, Walter Trout, by playing in a 60s Classic Blues Rock Band and then going on to greater heights as a Solo artist with acclaimed success. He is THAT good. To the doubters, DON'T. This Album is highly enjoyable.

Forget the chatter about Alvin Lee vs Joe Gooch. If you "need" Alvin for Ten Years After to be a band, then stop reading now and go look for something else because there is nothing I can say that will change your mind. IF, however, you are a bit more open minded about things, read on.

For starters, this recording ROCKS, from start to finish, there is nothing "lame" or "sorry" or "wannabe" about this band, the songs, the performances or the enthusiasm displayed by the throngs of people that go to see Ten Years After NOW each and every night they are playing. The 3 original members of the band are, even at 60+ years of age and an umpteen number of times performing these songs, as rock solid as ever. They are tight, they are bold and they are rocking twice as hard as bands half their age. As for the 'new' addition to the band, Joe Gooch, it seems impossible to have chosen a better replacement. He knows the songs, he is a maestro of the 6 string, he has a fantastic voice and he really, really, really invigorates the band as a whole and propels them to newer and farther reaching heights than you can imagine. To say "this band soars" is like saying "Michelangelo was a house painter".

The songs. Most of them are songs that long time Ten Years After fans know by heart. Most are classics known and loved and include a couple that Ten Years After never performed live before the "Now" version of the band. The highlight has to be "I'd Love To Change The World", a hit in 1970 or 71, but never performed live while Alvin Lee was in the band. With Joe Gooch at the helm, the band hits it full throttle and the guitar solo simply shreds. "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl", "I'm Going Home" and "Love Like A Man" all receive the same treatment. But it is the new songs that prove Ten Years After still has something to say. Songs like "King Of The Blues", "When It All Falls Down" and "Time To Kill" are all perfect vehicles for the new band. These songs, all of them, are instant classics and there is NO self respecting fan of Rock and Roll who would not love these songs. This CD deservingly gets a LOT of play time at my house.

The debate about whether this is 'really' Ten Years After or "just a cover band" can rage on without me. I've made up my mind and no matter how much I love Alvin Lee, in and out of Ten Years After, the "NOW" version of this band simply rocks and I just can't get enough of that. There's a perfectly good reason why these guys are playing to packed houses night after night, and this recording is the proof. One listen and any rock fan would have to agree, this is a first rate band.

For those of you who aren't sure about how this band performs without their long time leader, step out of your paradigm and treat your ears to a rock and roll feast. You won't be disappointed.

I have been listening to this band since there first album. And I loved it. and I love this cd. the new guitar player is great and the music is Ten Years After. How many bands only lose one member in forty years. Sure it's Alvin Lee one of the all time greats! But it's still a good live CD.

Alvin Lee at his best. One of the greatest live guitarist's ever. The best CD I've purchased in 5 years.

This record takes no prisoners!! It is designed to replicate the sound and feel of being at a large outdoor music festival. I am thinking 1969 Woodstock, where Ten Years After stole the show. You absolutely must play this loud, preferably thru a home theatre system with a powered subwoofer. The original lineup is on hand, except with a new singer guitarist, Joe Gooch. He does a good job of duplicating the late 60s guitar: reminds me of Roger Mcguinn of the Byrds doing Eight Miles High, on some songs. If you're into heavy metal, this is a good bridge into blues rock and classic rock n' roll. They seem to be leaning into an arena rock direction, with a power rock sound, trying to get the younger fans. But many of the old standards are here: check out the playlist. Drum fans will like Ric Lee's song, The Hobbit. This offering isn't for everyone. If you're into softer, pure blues rock, get their classic late 60s and early to about mid 70s studio material. If you like swing jazz/boogie, recorded in a small club, check out their outstanding UNDEAD cd. I think it's their best record. Well, I'm Going Home, but being an old guy, I won't be doing any baby shaking!!

Maybe if they concentrated on the new songs and left Alvin Lee to play the Alvin Lee songs I'd have a better opinion of this album. Gooch is a fine player but he doesn't measure up to the original and his attempts at copying Lee on the guitar sound lame; plus his vocals are weak. The new music is loud and powerful, though, and if you can take this band on the basis of what they are creating now, they work well into the blues/rock niche.