Search - Graham Parker :: Blue Highway

Start a Fire

Tim Weber | Iowa | 05/12/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Those who like Graham Parker's solo live albums "Live! Alone in America" and "Discovering Japan" but miss the punch of a full-band live album should check out "Blue Highway". This decent-sounding disc from an Independence Day, 1988, appearance at Grant Park in Chicago delves back into Parker's bag of tricks and wisely avoids his early '80s mediocre period. Parker lights a fire under five tracks from his then-new album "The Mona Lisa's Sister" (excellent, that), lending nice punch to "OK Hieronymus" and "Get Started. Start a Fire." No, the sound, though fine, is not revelatory, and few tracks actually surpass the originals, but at least we get some variety and not the slavish note-for-note recreation of the "Live Sparks" bonus concert. "Durban Poison", from the live solo "Alone in America" gets the full-band treatment here, and there's the previously unreleased song "Sinkin' Low." The liner notes are poorly written (at least the first set) and absolutely rife with typos. The publishing company is even misspelled on the back cover. The somewhat rowdy audience at this festival (not sure about festival details) is mixed too loud between songs, and the introduction at this July 4 event is a little embarrassing. Noting that Parker is the lone Englishman on the bill, the announcer says: "After all, it's their country we have to thank for our independence!" Er... Anyway, so while this Alchemy release has a slapped-together feel to it, the music is a good keepsake of Graham Parker's power in a full band setting during a point of rejuvenation in his career."

White Boy's Blues

R. J MOSS | Alice Springs, Australia | 02/20/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Parker's rage and equal riposte, tenderness are in full flight during this Independence Day concert at Grant Park, Chicago, 1988. He has a great Blues voice that would have been the envy of all the previous generation of British Blues Boys that launched the Blues in the early 60s; Animals, Manfred Mann, Pretty Things, the Stones. Parker remarks between songs aren't anything more than a chance to draw breath, certain that it's the songs that will do the drawing of the crowd. Wisely, he selects some of the great songs from his halcyon 70s period and then ignites the set with choices from, Mona Lisa'. I loved hearing,'Sinkin' Low', an unexpected surprise.'Local Girls','Passion','White Honey' and 'Get Started'; all are given with the passion he frequently alludes to. Yes, he did hit the seen with Costello. He got rave reviews too. But he never received the glamorous credits of his UK compatriot. If some of his great 70s works weren't produced with the quality they deserved, we do have in this concert, an appropriate clarity of delivery supported by Brinsley Schwartz on guitar, Andrew Bodnar on bass, Andy Maxwell on skins, and James Hallewell on keyboards. Parker never sounded better!"

Another Great Live Set!

a fan | Midwest | 06/18/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Stumbled across this in the CD bins while on vacation in New Orleans, and had to add it to my shelf-toppling G.P. collection. It's worth the price of admission and the effort spent in reshuffling your discs to fit this one into your stash. 'Nuff said!"