Blues Legends: Albert King - Live in Sweden Review

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(More customer reviews)Well it is absolutely about darn time a DVD was released dealing exclusively with the single greatest and most influential Blues guitarist of all time. This DVD certainly has its limitations. It was filmed in 1980 and the wonders of technology haven't done much to improve the audio or visual quality. It is also disappointingly skimpy. Just fifty-eight minutes and that includes pieces of an interview. When I saw the track listing, I was thrilled to see "Summertime". I could hear King's haunting guitar on the standard, and my mouth began to water. Unfortunately, Albert sat this one out, and it is just his band doing a nice, but predictable Jazz version.
Imperfections aside, if you know Albert King's work, you are invariably a fan, and so this DVD is an essential buy. There's plenty of good camera work showing King's giant paws working the frets and choking the you know what out of Lucy, the Gibson Flying V guitar that Albert calls, "My honey". We hear his signature tune "Born Under a Bad Sign" (I still haven't heard a version that wasn't just a little better than decent without King's Stax Records compadres Booker T. & the MGs backing him up) and the standard "The Very Thought of You", which shows that the deep voiced Blues giant was also one heck of a soulful singer, and that though Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn could almost match his power, they never came close to his tastefulness and touch.
King definitely provides great highlights, not only with his playing, but with his always perfectly timed "Woooooooos!" and "Yeahhhhs!". Those moments are great examples of Albert King style Blues. Orgasmic bursts of joy that could instantly cure the bluest man's blues.
Usually depicted as a gruff giant, King comes across more as a lovable teddy bear in the snippets of the interview. I found him to be truly endearing as he chuckles at things he just said. The interview, though pretty skimpy as well, and also the closing number make everything worth while. He does a wonderful version of "As the Years Go Passing By". And as they pass on by, the world will never see his equal. Every year I hear of a new guy on the scene who is being hailed as the heir apparent, but there will never be another Albert King.

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Born in Indianola, Mississippi, Albert King remains one of the mostinfluential blues guitarists of all time and enjoyed a successful career that spanned fourdecades, with wide critical and commercial acceptance throughout the world. The left- handed blues giant wrenched stinging solos from his trademark Gibson Flying V,informing the sound and style of such admirers as Eric Clapton, Luther Allison, StevieRay Vaughan, Taj Mahal and Jimi Hendrix. This never before released concert filmpresents King in top form, tearing through his signature songs at the peak of his career.Songs include "Born under a Bad Sign," "The Sky Is Crying," "The Very Thought ofYou," "Cadillac Assembly Line," "Summertime," "Cold Women with Warm Hearts," "Asthe Years Go Passing By."

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Bruce Springsteen - The Complete Video Anthology, 1978-2000 (1989) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'll admit to being an avid Bruuuuce fan. I own every disc he's put out (and a few he hasn't), and seen him a number of times in concert (including his last, phenomenal tour). Though I've said that, I've never owned, nor have I ever watched the original VHS version of his Anthology. Well, now that it's on DVD, that has changed.
First things first... The track "If I Should Fall Behind" is worth the price of the two discs! It's not concert footage, but is the Jonathan Demme video recorded during a soundcheck (?) during the last tour. It's the version with Bruce sharing vocals with his band members, evoking his feelings of friendship for his long-time mates. It was a phenomenal moment during his encores, and it's an equally great moment on this anthology. It's fun to watch everyone's expression as their passing off the mike and singing.
Other highlights are the live versions of "Leap of Faith", "Spare Parts", "Fire", and "Thunder Road". All the videos are here, along with some alternate takes (these are tracks that you can pick up on a number of audio CD's), so everyone has the opportunity to find their own personal favorites.
All in all, a great set. Now let's all hope that a live disc from his last tour comes out!

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Bruce Springsteen Video Anthology 1978-2000 is a double DVD featuring 33 performances spanning 22 years of concerts, music videos, and television appearances by Springsteen. The two-hour collection represents a complete anthology of Bruce Springsteen videos, as well as rare or previously unreleased bonus performances. In all, 15 of the 33 clips on Bruce Springsteen Video Anthology 1978-2000 did not appear on the original 1989 home video release of the Anthology. Some highlights include: --"If I Should Fall Behind," a live concert performance by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Directed by Jonathan Demme, and filmed at Madison Square Garden in 2000 (previously unreleased). --"Highway Patrolman," directed by Sean Penn (2000). Features footage from the motion picture The Indian Runner (previously unreleased). --"Hungry Heart," a music video/performance filmed in Germany in 1995, and previously released only in Europe. --Rare TV performances: "The Ghost of Tom Joad" from Bruce Springsteen's 1995 visit to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; "Born in the U.S.A.," a solo acoustic performance from Springsteen's 1998 appearance on The Charlie Rose Show; "Secret Garden," an alternate version, with strings (previously unreleased). Complete track listing:Disc 1: Rosalita(1978; directed by Arnold Levine), The River (1980; from "No Nukes" concert; directed by Danny Goldberg, Julian Schlossberg, Anthony Potenza), Thunder Road (1980; from "No Nukes" concert; directed by Danny Goldberg, Julian Schlossberg, Anthony Potenza); Atlantic City (1982; directed by Arnold Levine) Dancing in the Dark (1984; directed by Brian De Palma), Born in the U.S.A. (1984; directed by John Sayles), I'm on Fire (1985; directed by John Sayles), Glory Days (1985; directed by John Sayles), My Hometown (1985; directed by Arthur Rosato), War (1986; directed by Arthur Rosato), Fire (1986; rare acoustic performance from Neil Young's "Bridge Concert"), Born to Run (1987; directed by Arthur Rosato), Brilliant Disguise (1987; directed by Meiert Avis), Tunnel of Love (1987; directed by Meiert Avis), One Step Up (1988; directed by Meiert Avis), Tougher Than the Rest (1987; directed by Meiert Avis), Spare Parts (1988; directed by Carol Dodds), Born to Run (acoustic; 1988; directed by Meiert Avis).Disc 2: Human Touch (1992; directed by Meiert Avis), Better Days (1992; directed by Meiert Avis), 57 Channels (and Nothin' On) (1992; directed by Adam Bernstein), Leap of Faith(1992; directed by Meiert Avis), Streets of Philadelphia (1993; directed by Jonathan Demme and Ted Demme), Murder Incorporated (1995; directed by Jonathan Demme), Secret Garden (1995; directed by Peter Care), Hungry Heart (previously unreleased; 1995; produced and directed by "the Torpedo Twins" Rudi Dolezal & Hannes Rossacher), Dead Man Walkin'(1996; directed by Tim Robbins), The Ghost of Tom Joad (1996; directed by Arnold Levine, photographed by Pamela Springsteen), The Ghost of Tom Joad (1995; The Tonight Show with Jay Leno performance), Highway Patrolman (previously unreleased; 2000; directed by Sean Penn), If I Should Fall Behind(previously unreleased; 2000; directed by Jonathan Demme), Born in the U.S.A. (1998; The Charlie Rose Show solo acoustic performance), Secret Garden (previously unreleased; with strings; alternate version of the song).

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