Search - Climax Blues Band :: Blues From the Attic

Excellent live set, reflecting the band at their best

max@maxw.demon.co.uk | Cheltenham UK | 06/18/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For any Climax fan, or indeed any student in the UK, Europe, or US, who saw the band during one of their many tours, this album will bring back good memories, and sounds, of Climax at their best. A good selection of tracks, including those played many times on stage, and other adaptations, which are a surprise to come across. A good, punchy sound, which will have the feet tapping - a stick in the car, wind down the window, and head down the motorway, CD.For die hard aficionados, the appearance of Colin Cooper as the only main Climax link from the days of the 70s and 80s, is no shortfall in the quality of sound. Haycock and Holt may be missed in spirit, but their replacements in the shape of Lester Hunt, with the (now) permanent George Glover, are a good match.For UK fans, the album reminds me of the set the band did on In Concert, when Sample & Hold came out back in 83 - but far better quality than that broadcast on the radio. Enjoy!"

Gem

06/08/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There are some contemporary blues bands who are just wanabees, some who are mediocre, a rare few who are quite superb ... then there's the Climax Blues Band, the pinnacle of talent in the genre. There aren't many bands who can equal their depth and diversity of skills, from no-frills pure blues, to slow blues, hard driving blues, or ripping into jazz riffs and scorching instrumental solos in Climax originals.I've been a fan of the Climax Blues Band since the mid 1970's and own several of their LPs (that's the old vinyl Long Play records that still work on a low-tech unit called a turntable). My favourite album has been FM/Live, a real gem that continues to stand the test of time and will never grow stale. It was rare to find an album where most every cut was memorable, with such variety, style mixture and top-notch musicianship and vocals.I'd lost touch with what the band had been doing years ago and figured they'd more or less faded into obscurity. But thanks to the Internet, I was able to find their website and catch up on the band and the latest news. I was initially disappointed to read that guitarist Peter Haycock was no longer in the band, and that it was virtually a new lineup except for front-man Colin Cooper. So when I checked into the CD "Blues from the Attic", I was leery that the latest band might be merely a watered down version of the old magic. Boy was I mistaken.The new lineup is laced with talent and they sound fabulous on this CD. There are the distinctive gritty, bass-end vocals of Colin and his blues and jazz-influenced sax solos ... plus he plays a mean harp. Lester Hunt shows some real dexterity on guitar with some very impressive licks. The rest of the band rounds out the tight rhythm section and adds nice riffs. I especially like the juiced up version of "Let The Good Times Roll" as the closing cut. Overall, this CD is an excellent taste of many familiar Climax songs, mixed with cuts I hadn't heard before, played in a smaller, live-venue setting. Another gem after all these years!"