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139 of 148 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Don't think I need anything at all" -- except this CD set!, April 19, 2000
This review is from: Is There Anybody Out There? / The Wall Live Pink Floyd 1980-81 (Deluxe Limited Edition) (Audio CD)
First thing, make sure you get the "limited edition"box set & not just the regular 2-CD set. You'll be sorelydisappointed when you find out what you missed. It's worth the extra money. The hardcover book that comes with it is worth the entire price by itself. Beautiful photos + commentary from the band & set designers, etc. Second thing, I (along with many Floyd fans) have been waiting a very long time for something I haven't heard before. Sure, new Pink Floyd material would be nice, but this 2 disc set of The Wall will definitely satiate the need for a while. I know everyone's heard the album before, but you have never heard it like this. Taken from various concerts at the original Earls Court in London from 1980 and 1981, these songs are among the best I have heard them do live. You've undoubtedly heard some of the songs live on Pulse or Delicate Sound of Thunder (both also great sets), but to finally get to hear the entire The Wall album -- I can only say that it is incredible. Remember the beauty of hearing the live version of Dark Side of the Moon from Pulse? Songs like "Goodbye Blue Sky," "Young Lust," and "Mother" shine on this collection, and more popular songs played many times live -- "Comfortably Numb," "Run Like Hell," and "Another Brick in the Wall" -- well, you have to hear them to hear the differences. I'll just tell you that the guitar & keyboard solos on Another Brick in the Wall make it worth the purchase price. Buy your copy, listen over and over, and keep hoping that Gilmour, Wright & Mason get together again for a new Pink Floyd album. Or maybe they'll do like The Dead & just start putting out a kind of "Dick's Picks" collection of live shows from the past. I could live with that.
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30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
...we came in?, April 20, 2000
This review is from: Is There Anybody Out There? / The Wall Live Pink Floyd 1980-81 (Deluxe Limited Edition) (Audio CD)
yeah, this album is awesome. Anyone who's heard any Wall bootlegs before won't hear anything new, other that the GIANT leap up in sound quality, but for those of you who've only heard the studio album, you'll notice quite a few differences (all for the better). anyway, i just have to say a few things. the only problem i have with the album is during Dave's singing parts on "Mother" there is a rather loud buzzing sound, and it's really annoying, after a few listens it doesn't bother me as much, but especially the first time you hear it, it will be very annoying. this is on a few other songs also, such as "Goodbye Blue Sky", and "Comfortably Numb", however it's not nearly as loud as on "Mother" and if you're listening to it in the car you can't even hear it. but don't get me wrong, it is still very much worth the money, especially the limited edition version, and it's easily the best live album i've ever heard. now for a couple of nitpicky gripes. "Empty Spaces" is not really "Empty Spaces", it's really the beginning of "What Shall We Do Now?", which is why it has different lyrics than "Empty Spaces", if you look at the words in the studio wall album, "What Shall We Do Now?" is in there and you can see what i'm talking about. Now the only reason this bothers me is because the only reason they split this song up is so people who don't know better will think they're getting something extra, well, you're not getting something extra, just instead of the original "Empty Spaces" you're getting "What Shall We Do Now?" split into two songs. Now, as for "The Last Few Bricks", this isn't even really a song, for those of you who don't know, this was added in to give the brick builders time to finish building the wall during the show, hence the name "The Last Few Bricks" which, by the way, was only recently named that by Roger Waters, so back when they did these shows it didn't have a name, and it wasn't even a real song. So there again, they're marketing it as a "never before released" song to make you think you're getting something extra, and while you are getting something that's not on the original album, it's hardly a new song. and just to be even more picky, the Amazon review says that both of those songs were on the wall movie, well, that's wrong, only "What Shall We Do Now?" was in the movie. ok, well i know those are just cheap complaints, but i know there are some people who care. but this album is definately worth buying, but like someone already said, definately buy the limited edition, it is very much worth the extra money.
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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Is there anybody out there that doesn't have this yet?, April 27, 2000
This review is from: Is There Anybody Out There? / The Wall Live Pink Floyd 1980-81 (Deluxe Limited Edition) (Audio CD)
"Is There Anybody Out There" is a excellent Floyd recording. At first, I was skeptical if this live release could do justice to the mythical reputation that the original live "Wall" shows have gained over the years. The first listen didn't strike me as anything special, but then I cranked up my stereo for the second listen, and that's when I realized that this recording is meant to be played LOUD, as loud as you can get it. The studio version of the "The Wall" was such a detailed, meticulous recording; trying to totally duplicate that sound in a live setting would have been impossible. Instead, the band turns up the volume and the bombast. The power of songs like "In the Flesh" and "Run like Hell" is increased ten-fold in this concert setting. "Mother" becomes a stirring, emotional epic, reaching heights that were only hinted at on the studio album. The "Another Brick in the Wall Part 1/ Happiest Days of Our Lives " and "Empty Spaces/What Shall We Do Now" medleys achieve new levels of creepiness. And Roger Waters' maniacal spoken introduction to "Run Like Hell" is at once both hilarious and scary. Much has been made of Roger Water's dominance in the writing and recording of "The Wall." He has even said that it is probably his greatest accomplishment, to which I agree. But, "The Wall" performances would not have been the same without the other members of Pink Floyd. Even with other musicians backing them up, these performances are tight and unified-all four band members, regardless of what they contributed in the studio, shine brightly. The sound quality is excellent, considering the age of the tapes. The sound isn't as crystal clear as "Pulse," and there are some flaws (many have picked up on the buzzing noise during Mother), but they are insignificant. The limited edition is the definitive version; the book that accompanies the CDs is gorgeous- definitely worth the extra dough. Despite all the positive qualities of "ITAOT," it should be said that this live recording doesn't replace the studio version. A budding Floyd fanatic should start with the original to get their first taste of "The Wall." For the rest of us, "ITAOT" will do nicely for now. BUT...if Pink Floyd isn't going to release new albums with any regularity (nothing against them...I mean, who can blame them for being a little lazy at this point), perhaps they can dig up some more live recordings from the vaults. The "Animals" tour, a full performance of "Dark Side" from the early '70s, a live version of "Atom Heart Mother"...maybe even an official live release from the Syd Barrett days! I'm sure they have them lying aroung somewhere...will they ever see the light of day?
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