Long time coming.
Michael Stack | North Chelmsford, MA USA | 08/09/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Having been out of print for ages, never seen release on CD, and previously only available on the cassette of "Fire Dances" or as a 10" EP, "Ha!" has grown a legend around it that set the bar pretty high.
Remarkably, it lives up to that. Recorded at a small club in Toronto in the summer of 1982, bassist Raven had just joined the band, replacing the departed Youth, and this brief set (six songs) captures the band catching fire-- the early part of the set is more aggressive, and eventually it settles into more of a groove. The set features one piece from each of their three albums, plus a pair of b-sides and one which was never released in a studio version ("Take Take Take", which sounds like a "Revelations" outtake). Opener "Pssyche" is the real standout here-- vocalist Jaz Coleman positively spits venom during his furious delivery of the lyrics over Big Paul Fergeson's dance beats. Similar inspiration is found on "Wardance", while it focuses more on a mid-tempo groove, again Coleman excels and pulls the piece to new heights.
Also included on this issue is the "Birds of a Feather" single complete with its two b-sides, "Sun Goes Down" and "Flock the B Side". Of these, "Sun Goes Down" is probably the best, with a great beat and moody development, abounding with subtlety and one of the missing gems of the band's catalog. "Birds of a Feather" and remix "Flock the B Side" are not exactly slouches either, but neither have the strength of "Sun Goes Down".
The remastering has certainly done a great job-- while I've never heard the original and can't compare, the live recording sounds fresh and alive, and the studio tracks are superb, loud, and clean. All of this comes with an expanded booklet illustrated by artist Mike Coles, who did the original artwork for the record.
All in all, its quite a good release, perhaps as good an introduction to the band as any, and certainly essential for fans. Recommended."
Phenomenal
ifutureman | NJ | 09/15/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The only complaint is that the whole show has not been made available, because all six of these live tracks are so good and so intense. "Pssyche" gets things rolling with all the ferocity and tension that are the hallmark of Killing Joke's sound, and things don't let up from there. "Sun Goes Down" and "Wardance" are my two favorites but the whole thing just destroys. Every one of the songs here blows away its studio original (except "Take Take Take" which was never released before).
The mix is amazingly clear: The keyboards swirl and set a general tone of unease; the drums pulse, pound and hypnotize; the bass punches you like a prize fighter; and Geordie's guitar sounds like a cross between a freight train slamming its brakes, an elephant roaring and Jimi Hendrix' Star Spangled Banner.
The three bonus cuts are not much of a bonus, though it's nice to have the "Birds of A Feather" ep available on CD ... I'd have prefered the inclusion of more live material. But even for just six songs, this is one of the greatest live albums ever."
Its about time.
Arnold | CANADA | 04/01/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I was at this show and had the original recording on vinyl. Unfortunately like a lot of my vinyl through the university years it got munched or dissappeared at a party. In any event this recording truly deserves to be re-released and its reputation is not exaggerated. The performance was an intense swirling assault on the senses, and this recording captures the night to a tee! I can almost smell the beer soaked floors of good old Larry's Hideaway!!!"
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1