THE SHOW OF OUR LIVES: LIVE AT THE BBC 1968-1975
Stuart Jefferson | San Diego,Ca | 03/12/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Two discs 71 and 73 minutes each approximately. The sound for the most part is good to very good. The first two tracks on disc one,being "off air" recordings,are slightly dulled-not having the immediacy of the rest of the tracks-but are still very acceptable. The title dates,while true,are heavier on later years rather than early recordings. There are only two tracks from 1968 and three from 1970. The rest of the music really starts in 1971.
Having been a fan of Caravan since the sixties and early seventies,I was surprised at how much I enjoyed these two discs in the present. The studio albums,of which several are considered classics by fans of the group,or the "Canterbury sound"(which truly never existed) are well rehearsed and planned out. On these live recordings,mostly for John Peel (once again championing a new band/sound) the group new they had to deliver the goods-and they did. Probably the closest in sound for those needing an anchor would be very early Pink Floyd(not the blues stuff they initially tried out live) or early Soft Machine. The lyrics are whimsical with that certain English quirkiness so often heard during this era. The vocals are serviceable at best,but for some reason they seem to add something extra to the swirly instrumentals surrounding the words.
While the group morphed from a "pop" sound to a "rock" sound to a "jazzier" sound,and then back and forth throughout the seventies,their sound was always identifiable. The instrumentation and the arrangements are truly of their time,and that's what's so fine about this collection. If someone wanted to hear music from this era,and wanted to know what all the fuss was about,this is what I would play them. Live the group had no second chances,so their playing was always on the mark.
This collection contains a number of their most well-known compositions,and they are arguably as good as the studio recordings. A number of the tracks are long(10-15 minutes) which give the group a chance to stretch their instrumental prowess. This collection sounds good in the open air coming through speakers or on headphones,where subtle nuances are heard to good effect. The booklet is very informative-telling the story of the group from formation up to their going their own ways in 1984,and then subsequent reformations through 2005. This is a collection that should be much more well-known to anyone who enjoys this type of music."
Track Listings (21) - Disc #1