James Brown
Live at the Apollo, vol. 2, Deluxe Edition Polydor
A photo inside the liner notes for Live at the Apollo, vol. 2, shows a beaming James Brown standing beside a small airplane bearing two placards: “Mr. Dynamite” and “Soul Brother No. 1.”
Self-serving hyperbole? Not on your life, as this expanded reissue of Brown's classic June 1967 stint at the Apollo Theatre proves. From a searing 19-minute version of “It's a Man's Man's Man's World” to a nasty take on “Cold Sweat,” Brown whips the audience into a state of near hysteria.
The two-disc set's simmering grooves give a taste of the unholy funk that Brown would unleash upon the world in the following years. And to think, “Funky Drummer,” “Sex Machine,” and “Hot Pants” were still bubbling on Brown's back burner. Good God, y'all.
Rating (out of 5): 5
Phish
Live Phish, vols. 1-6 Elektra
www.elektra.com; www.phish.com
Jerry Garcia once compared the Grateful Dead to licorice; the candy, like the Dead, spawned intense love or intense hate. Claimed Garcia, “People who like licorice really like licorice.”
That said, when Phish announced its plans to release a six-volume set of live performances, the band's dreadlocked masses must have writhed in groovy delight. Phish-heads may lament the jam band extraordinaire's hiatus, but they can at least take solace in hours upon endless hours of “Run Like an Antelope.”
Fans of Phish have no doubt already traded tapes of these performances and obsessed about them ad infinitum. Certainly, the band shows impressive chops; guitarist Trey Anastasio can make his guitar squawk and bark with the best of them. But Live Phish suffers from the ills that commonly plague jam bands — specifically, long drawn-out noodling that all but eclipses the songs.
But, hey, if you really like licorice, dig in.
Rating (out of 5): 2.5
