Customer Reviews

Woodstock 2

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

 

 

This was the second instalment of Woodstock audio material released originally by Atlantic. This was a 2 LP set back in 1971. If you collect Woodstock recordings or just like live sixties music then get this rarity in you collection now! Four tracks are not available on the box set. These tracks make up half the CD set. They are: Jefferson Airplane's 'Eskimo Blue Day,' The Butterfield Blues Band's 'Everything's Gonna Be Alright,' Melanie's 'Birthday of the Sun' and Canned Heat's 'Woodstock Boogie' [all 12 minutes of it]. The other tracks are mixed better than on the box set [with much clearer definition]. These include tracks by Hendrix, CSN&Y and Mountain. Be warned, however, some material has been edited [to meet with vinyl constraints]. Notably the three Hendrix cuts (which won't bother you since you will have the new 2 CD set by Hendrix as well...won't you?)

I like this mix of the Woodstock songs. The boxed set presents it in a sometimes hazy and muddy mix. I have some examples. The percussionists in Hendrix's set on the box set are not audible at at all. On this, much of Juma Sultan's work is audible. The cowbell and triangle give "Jam Back at the House" a nice drive and the maracas in "Hear My Train A Comin'" are very appropriate. Also, I like a lot of the lesser known material. Get this if you can!

I bought the vinyl version of this album when it hit the bargain bins in 1973, and I was impressed. There's definitely some good music here, though not the intense highs of the first Woodstock album. All tracks by the Jefferson Airplane and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young are good. For me the high point is Canned Heat's rocker "Woodstock Boogie," which has a ZZ Top sound. This second Woodstock album has a tamer sound than the first, with a lot of acoustic, folk, ballads, and blues pieces. Hendrix's pieces are possibly an exception, but those are all long and relatively uninteresting jams. Melanie sings her heart out on "Birthday of the Sun," although some might object to her strained voice. I actually prefer this live version of "Marrakesh Express" to the studio version with organ that sounds overly slick. This album is a must if you're trying to sustain that magical feeling of those 3 days of muddy fun and music.

ok, here's the problem, i wanted the actual vinyl record album and "cover" so i could frame the cover like i framed the Woodstock 1 cover that hangs on my wall, what i got was CD's and a small replica/book of the cover and that is not what i ordered, but i havent had time to deal with the return, could someone call me at 443-994-7732, is a copy of the actual orig vinyl and cover available??? Otherwise my other purchases were great..

Kris Smith

This completed the one-two punch of documenting the Woodstock Festival on record. Released on two discs in 1971, this collection was meant to serve as a highly anticipated follow-up to it's 1970 predecessor.

As was suggested by the title of this review, this collection, although tremendous and of high-quality, is a slight step backward. Disc One is loaded with "fill-in" performances by Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, leaving little in the way of variety. Indeed, it's Disc Two that makes this album extraordinary with a few more essential performances from Joan Baez and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. It also features the rarely-heard performances by Melanie and Mountain in addition to Canned Heat's "Woodstock Boogie."

The magic of the original soundtrack can still be found here, in addition to another bit of crowd hijinks during the rain storm. This collection (along with the original soundtrack and the DVD copy of the movie) provides you with the full and complete experience of this legendary fetsival.

There are some things we'll never understand. For instance: what motivated the compilers of this record. Let's start from the beginning: an entire side to Hendrix' minor moments seems to me an undeserved thing. Idem to the Canned Heat tune (12 minutes!). To give space again to Jefferson Airplane, Joan Baez and Butterfield Blues Band, leaving off one single register of the rare to find Incredible String Band (at Woodstock! what a lovely moment it should have been), sounds equally dull to me.

Anyway, cheers for the beautiful cover and the CSN&Y tunes.