Search - Guess Who :: Running Back Thru Canada

For competists only

Philip A.Cohen | Bay Harbor Islands, Florida United States | 02/23/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This 2-CD set is or die-hard completists only.It's nice to see the group back together,and this set is undoubtedly a good souvenir if you were at one of these shows.The group's playing ablity is intact,and these mid to late 50-ish musicians gave their audience a satisfactory evening of entertainment,but the 4-pack a day smoking of which lead singer/pianist Burton Cummings once boasted has taken its' toll.His voice is fried to a crisp,and almost unrecognizably different from the voice on the old 1968-76 RCA albums.His voice is now whiny and constricted in the upper part of his range.Stick with one of RCA's hits packages,and hear the group in its'heyday."

I enjoyed the live guitar work

From_Plano_TX | Plano, TX USA | 05/09/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I have not been a Guess Who fan and did not own any of their music. Then I saw them in a taped live performance shown on PBS. I liked their guitar work and bought this album. I have enjoyed it. Comparing the play list to "Live at the Paramount", this album has 2 more hits: No Sugar Tonight and Undun. I like guitars and do not look for great singing, so I cannot say much about the criticisms other reviewers have made about the singing. My complaint is that they packaged some dumb pseudo-blues piece with "American Woman." There is 6 minutes of crud preceeeding "American Woman." If they had packaged the crud as a separate song I could index past it on my CD player. Too bad they bundled them together. I do enjoy the album."

A Classic Band Reunites and Rocks !!!

PHILIP S WOLF | SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA. USA | 08/02/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Today when attending Concerts by some of the Classic Rock Acts, have you ever been disappointed by the lack of key group members not being up on the stage? Do you feel that certain Groups on the road today, are at least a little past their prime performance abilities? Do you feel a little cheated by paying $125.00 for a Ticket to the Reunion Show of Band-X,and the Lead Singers voice sounds like he swallowed a Gravel Quarry? Upon scanning the Stage,the only original on the Stage is; "Mugs the Roadie from Hell" ???



Well, at last somebody has done it correctly...The Guess Who. With Burton Cummings, Randy Bachman, Garry Peterson, Donnie McDougall and Bill Wallace {Jim Kale, is the only member lacking from the 'Classic' Line-up of Bachman/Cummings/Peterson & Kale, the 1965-1970 Edition}. Donnie & Bill were Members of 1970's Guess Who on Studio and Live Records. This Band is of good health and really hit's a performing peak here during this 2000 Reunion Tour of their native Canada to Sold-Out Stadiums, nationwide.





These two CD's, feature 22 Songs. With a mix of Hits like: "These Eyes", "Rain Dance", "American Woman", "Laughing", "Undun",and "Hand Me Down World" and Fan Favorites: "Runnin' Back to Saskatoon","Sour Suite","Glamour Boy","Orly" and 'Albert Flasher". We can still moan & groan that some of our personal favorite tunes are not part of this set, but it would have had to have been a 6 hour Concert to make everybody happy and the band would have all suffered Heart Attacks as the result!



Of what that is here, we have an excellent selection of songs with a few twists. An acoustic version of the BTO Classic: "Lookin' Out for #1" is a keeper with Randy and Donnie swapping great Lead Guitar Runs. Burton's vocals on: "Sour Suite" are really something, this Man still can reach all the notes as well as he every did, Great, Great version included herein. The acoustic rendition of; "No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature" is simply a Joy. This is no Nostalgia Trip, but just some Amazing Rock Music that is Timeless. "Talisman" is a song nobody ever believed the Band would EVER perform live, but here it is...A very cool surprise!



Another BTO Classic is included: "Let it Ride" and of all the versions I have heard, this is my favorite, as this Shines in it's new Acoustic setting, incredible playing and wonderful singing bring this up more than a few notches. "Let it Ride" is a prime example of why both these Discs are so good, with the X-Factor included, these Songs have never sounded better.



The Groups most popular Tune: "American Woman" gets quite a workout at over 13 Minutes in length as a Bluesy and Hard Rockin' Dynamo. Burton scat-sings and blows Harp and Randy is on his Guitar like it's 1970, in the Fillmore East, all over again. Some have said that 'Woman' is way too long...BAH! This Song would still be fun at twice this length, this is exactly why I still go to Shows, to see my Band have some real Fun.



These Two Live CD's are an example of what a Classic Rock Band's Concert SHOULD BE...The Guess Who were a Great Band in 1969, and here in 2000, they are even better. Whatever price these folks payed for their Tickets, this Band delivered in Spades, the money was well spent. I wish I was there and havin' a blast.

4.5 Stars !!!"