The Swedish Radio Sessions-The Searchers Perform Live
davidbellm@hotmail.com | Kimberley, B.C. Canada | 12/05/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The Swedish Radio Sessions is a great CD for the avid fan of a certain age as well as younger listeners who want to get a feel for the Mersey Beat Sound and what it was all about in the 60's.In the first session Tony Jackson's major contribution as a bass player and vocalist is clearly apparent.Not just "the bass player" he injects a driving beat into the Mersey Beat sound that put Liverpool,England on the music map.Tracks like Money,Some Other Guy and Ain't That Just Like Me reveal the other side of The Searchers,the raw ,meaty,beaty sound that others such as the Beatles,Big Three ,Swinging Blue Jeans and a host of other Liverpool bands thundered out in the sweaty dungeons of the Cavern and the Iron Door clubs.In contrast the hit singles Sweets For My Sweet and Needles and Pins do justice to the polish of the original studio recordings.In particular Needles and Pins is spectacular.The well spoken Chris Curtis exchanges an easy repartee and quips with the audience and gives the listener a real feel of what it must have been like to be at a Searchers' concert in the 60's.
In the second session Chris introduces new boy Frank Allen on bass with the thundering mersey beat sound What'd I Say.A great track in sharp contrast to the smooth versions of the hits What Have They Done To The Rain? and When You Walk In The Room.
Session three kicks off with a stirring performance of Have You Ever Loved Somebody?Remember this was the period when we couldn't hear enough of the Searchers' singles on the radio.Play this one to death!By now Frank Allen is doing the front man duties and a very nice job he does too.The "forgotten" singles Take Me For What I'm Worth and Western Union follow.
Session three closes out with faithfully reproduced renditions of the hits When You Walk In The Room and Needles and Pins.
Thank you,Thank you Very Much,The Searchers have left the building.Ladies and Gentleman the show is over.This CD is great.I'm going to play the show all over again!A beautifully performed piece of 60's rock history that will appeal to fans new and old alike."
Great concert from the original Searchers
Micaloneus | the Cosmos | 07/13/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The whole CD is really good, but the opening 10 songs from the spring of '64 has the original Searchers lineup (Tony Jackson, Chris Curtis, Mike Pender & John McNally) in great form. It smokes! I'm glad I bought this for that concert alone.
The other two concerts ( from December 1964 and May 1967) feature two other Searcher lineups. The December '64 concert has Frank Allen replacing Tony Jackson on bass (and vocals) and though he's a good showman, he lacks the vocal power and bass drive of Tony Jackson.
The final concert on this CD is from May 1967 and features a new "Keith Moon" type drummer named John Blunt (replacing Chris Curtis who was busy forming a new band which turned out to be the beginnings of Deep Purple). He doesn't quite seem like the right guy for the job, but that's just my opinion.
It's worth buying this CD for the first concert alone. It shows why the Beatles called them their favorite band in the spring of '64...not the Rolling Stones."
Track Listings (24) - Disc #1
