5 stars for the music - 1 star for the butcher job
fmellish | San Francisco, CA United States | 05/11/2002
(1 out of 5 stars)
"First up, I must start by saying that the music on this double disc set deserves 5 stars - easily the best the Nevilles have sounded on disc.Still, I have a HUGE problem with the editing in this package. A bit of history - the first disc was released in 1984 as "Neville-Ization". The second disc was released in 1987 and titled "Live at Tipitina's, Vol 2" (both sets were recorded in 1982). Vol. 2 opened with a delightful 10-minute version of "Hey Pocky Way" (done similarly to the original Meters' arrangement as opposed to the remake on "Fiyo on the Bayou"). It's easily the highlight of the disc and for some reason it's been cruelly deleted from this repackaging. What possessed Rhino to do this? It's not like there were any time constraints, given that this is on 2 discs. Inexcusable butcher job. Don't spend your money on this reissue and instead buy them separately. "Neville-Ization" is available as a cheap UK import and look for Vol. 2 in your local used CD stores. There's absolutely no noticeable difference in the sound quality.As for the rest of the music, the versions of "Fever", "Caravan", "Big Chief", "Lil' Liza Jane" and "Riverside" are sublime! And it's also the only place to hear Art sing the gorgeous "Why You Wanna Hurt My Heart" (recorded later by the inane Jimmy Buffet). A must-own for any fan of funky R&B."
Still The Nevilles' best album yet...
fmellish | 01/21/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Despite several superb albums, New Orleans finest funksters have never been quite able to replicate the magic created on this exceptionally good live CD. Far superior sound to their more recent "Live from Planet Earth", this album truly captures the Nevilles in their element - a gig in one of N'awlins hometown haunts. Aaron's vocals on "Tell it like it is" will give you the chills, and the rest will have you swaying, bumping, singing, dreaming and smiling."