Customer Reviews

Twin Peaks

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a tough album to review, because it depends what you're looking for when you buy it. If you're looking for a polished, studio-esque perfect live performance, this sure ain't it. But if you're looking for the epitome of 70's rock, in its most pure and raw form, this is it. This is the only Mountain CD I listen to, because it makes me feel like I was there, at the concert. This is what 70's rock was about... not about hitting every note exactly, but about the energy and what the music conveys to you.

The climax of this album is the half hour long version of sleigh ride. While many complain it is too long and in poor taste, that's what the heart of 70's rock is. Playing what you feel. And Leslie West felt like playing for that long. The crowd is loving it, and so am I every time I listen to it.

While this CD is certainly not for everybody, if you love mountain, and love the 70's rock style, this is for you. If you're looking for the most polished and produced Mointain CD, this is definitally not it. But it's perfect at what it is, a live snapshot of 70's rock at its finest.

I've seen Leslie West at guitar shows around Westchester before. He's in great shape now, and seems not to be bitter, but I'd understand if he were. Mountain were one of the galvanizing forces of hard rock, overdriven jamming white boy blues, and even early metal, yet most people know none of their music or "Missippi Queen" at best. Leslie was fat then, but he could still CRANK on a Gibson at saturation point; Felix Pappalardi was one of the great rock bassists who did more than play the root note, and here Bob Mann (guitar/keys) and Alan Schwartzberg (drums) round out the band. Recorded on a hot summer night in August 1973 in Osaka, Twin Peaks is live rock and roll at its best -- sloppy, loud, joyous, a magnificent noise. You either like live albums or you don't. I love 'em, when they're really live. They're a different and often more honest take on music you already know. All of Mountain's major hits are here (Never In My Life, Theme for an Imaginary Western, Nantucket Sleighride and of course Mississippi Queen). You can feel the sweat dripping off Leslie as he diddles into pentatonic heaven. The vocals are middling to bad, the fuzz boxes are on high, a little country pickin' slips into those monster solos...but oh is that guitar a glorious noise. Fans of Townshend, Clapton, Blackmore, Frank Marino, Pat Travers, need to check this out. The Black Crowes got half their musical ideas from these guys. Sidebar, this album gets "best unintended Syd Barrett impression" for most of Silver Paper.

One of my alltime favorite (live)albums, Mountain was always more a live-act. In their relative short career they only brought out a handfull of studiowork, to begin with the Leslie West solo-album "Mountain" after which the then born band was named (and of which "Blood of the Sun" is presented in this package). Having released a handfull of albums a third part of it contained already livematerial, i.e. "Live/The Road Goes Ever On" and the second side of "Flowers of Evil". Mountain almost always consisted of West on vocals and leadguitar, Felix Pappalardi on bass, Corky Laing drums and Steve Knight keyboards, the band had disengrated all too soon after releasing the epic "Nantucket Sleighride" album in 1971. Centred around the nucleus of West/Pappalirdi, who are pictured in the innersleeve only, with the addition of Bob Mann on guitar and keyboards and drummer Alan Schwartzberg they did a fine job playing a few shows in Japan. This album (originally four sides vinyl now on a sole CD, far better because the lengthy N.T. can be played without changing LP's) is recorded in Osaka on 30 Augustus 1973. The sound is crystalclear, so I won't know if the newer 2006 release can overdo that and without extra tracks I am not gonna buy it. Anyway nowaydays plenty of liverecordings see the daylight, some of them incorrectly named after the venue they might have played but certainly not on that specific album, so beware. Stick to your guns and go for the originals. This album has it all. Great songs, good playing, it is a real band, not juist two guys with sidemen. A handfull of the hits are present, i.e. a rousing "Never in My Life", the Jack Bruce written "Theme for an Imaginary Western" with West on top vocals, a track simply called "Guitar Solo" but it is far more than that, West playes the electric guitar like a one-man-orchestra, using the volumeknob as a device to create violinlike sounds and adding sustain. The end is a nod to Christmas with a flawless "Jingle Bells" tune. The icing on the cake is of course the half an hour plus rendition of "Nantucket Sleighride" which give the musicians free reign to improvise but the playing together is stunning. The set closes with some heavyrock songs: "Crossroader" (like N.T. also on "Live"), "Mississippi Queen" (with a snippet of the Johhny Kid's "Shaking All Over" in the intro) and a beautiful extended "Silver Paper". Closer is a Berry tribute "Roll over Beethoven" which again showcases the extraordinary skills of Leslie West. This same band dissolved afterwards, only to record "Avalanche" with the aforementioned original bandmembers in 1974 but they could not repeat old times and didn't survive. So this set is a true souvenir of a great band.

For those who are familiar with the earlier work of Mountain, this one is a major disappointment. Although both Leslie West and Felix Pappalardi are here, neither is in top form, and Alan Schwartzberg proves that he is no Corky Laing. Much like John Bonham, Corky Laing played a significant role in defining the sound of his band; Schwartzberg is mediocre in comparison. Bob Mann adds nothing to the mix, and is about as inconspicuous (and insignificant) as Steve Knight. The performances are ragged, and Felix sounds especially tired (or bored). The half-hour-plus rendition of "Nantucket Sleighride" is overblown, ridiculously long, and boring. There is nothing here that hasn't been done much better somewhere else, making this a must for completists only.

PLEASE make sure you know which version you are getting!! I attempted to buy the remastered import version, and got the new unremastered Sony BMG Custom Marketing version, which is also listed. The remastered import version I tried to get is supposed to be the Repertoire(a German label, but with all notes in English) version from 2006, but is listed as being from Sony Japan. Problem is, THAT version(MUCH more expensive!) also has its own listing! Several third-party sellers have understandably listed their CDs under the wrong listing, including at least two under the Repertoire(supposedly) listing as I explained earlier. The Repertoire version DOES exist, as I bought the correct version from another not-to be-named website! E-mail the seller first if you're not sure!!!

Pure Rock n' Roll---warts and all. And really folks, that's what it's all about...isn't it? No, it's not perfect--it may not shine from beginning to end--but I bet you will be humming Leslies' solos to yourself after one listen. At this price you just can't go wrong--I promise!

I remember when this 2 record set came out. I rushed home to play it on the ol Victrola and was dismayed to find no Corky and or Steve on it. I think I shelved it for years.

With the advent of the bootleg series, and really poor Mountain live stuff available(except of course the wonderful "Road Goes Ever On")

I checked the reviews here of this oldie. I thought I agreed with the negative ones here, but I dusted off the records and gave them another spin. Well I was pleasently surprised, yeah Sleighride is over long, but the recording is good, The band is tight, and Ya gotta love hearing Leslie and Felix together. I am going to order a CD copy of this one, it blows away the other available releases. Get "The Road Goes....", their 2 tracks on the Woodstock original soundtrack, Flowers of Evil and this one and you will be pretty well versed in Mountain how it was back in the golden days.

If you like Mountain you'll need this . Any version of Nantucket Sleirghride on a C D makes it a CD worth buying .Sure it is 1/2 hour or so long , but it was the 70's afterall , hardly the decade of restraint or good taste . But there are some tasty Leslie West licks in the Sleighride jams . Great road music ,if heading down to the Cape or up to Vermont to ski. You'll also hear a great version of "Theme From An Imaginary Western ." Even Roll Over Bethoven sounds good , and I never thought I'd say that about any version of that tired old song .Contrary to what another reviewer said about Alan Schwartzberg ,he is a decent drummer. One can whine about not having someone in the lineup , but I would enjoy what we have here instead , and lets face it , Felix Pappalardi isn't making anymore live recordings.

If you're a Mountain/Leslie West fan.....THis is a must have. Great classic rock guitar and live music

The Version of Sliegh ride here is beutiful , the guitar solo sings and has a nice building structure. I don't mean it's a skyscraper , i mean to say it builds and has different chord progressions that move along ,and highten in intesity , They are following what seems to be a structured improvisation , and the group works really well off of one an other tastefully .

Blood of the sun is really good , some ssay Mountains better shows were never recorded and the lesser shows appear on CD , aside from a couple of missed lyrics and a slightly out of tune and guitar here and there .The chemistry is amazing .

Leslie has rerecord some of this stuff with a more modern GTR sound and his own vocal , but the group dynamic , is not the same .

This is Mountain as the Pioneers of Blues rock , in a dark era where there were only gaints and empty space . This is as raw as it gets.