Let’s Do It Live (Encore Episode 146)

Just started the episode up, and the "wedding" thing is spot on. My fiancee tells me quotes for stuff for our wedding and it blows my mind.

 

I'm looking forward to listening to this. I pretty much find live albums to be kind of not that interesting. I can watch live shows and dvds and stuff over and over again due to the visual aspect but live records not so much. I get them though because of my damn completist mentality.

There are several problems with live albums: 1. They usually aren't really live (Face to Face). 2. The studio recordings of the songs are always better. 3. The "funny" between song banter is only funny for a few listens.

I do like the Fugazi Live Series because I was able to go back and get the Fugazi shows that I attended and that is fun.

 

HI THOMAS!!!!

 

The Nirvana unplugged in NY is one of the best live albums for sure.

 

Ironically just watched Bullet in a Bible about a week ago and it holds up IMO (the venu is Milton Keynes btw).

The one live album I've liked recently is the Against Me! 23 Live Sex Acts, for at least the version of New Wave - a kid is in the process of getting kicked out mid song, and LJG stops the show and tells the bouncer he better let him stay, which is just some cool banter.

Frank Turner live at Shepards Bush is a good one too

 

I don't listen to a ton of live albums now, but here were some I used to listen to or still enjoy every now and then.

Jay-Z - MTV Unplugged (2001)
Dropkick Murphys - Live on St. Patrick's Day (2002)
Slayer - Decade of Aggression (1991)
Blink 182 - The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show
Simon and Garfunkel - Live in Central Park
The Bouncing Souls - Tie One On! (1998)
Dashboard Confessional - MTV Unplugged (2002)

 

Appreciate the shoutout for the Brand New Archive guys. For those looking to download some shows, here ya go.

Also, with you guys touching on Phish in the podcast (them and Brand New are my 1A and 1B), I just need to echo that in terms of live releases and curation, NOBODY does it better. It is incredible the model they have built.

 

So I guess Happy Birthday, Jason? Sounds like you were able to celebrate in a more intimate and enjoyable way. Hope you're enjoying your Echo too, because my mom just got one of those things and whenever I go over to her house I start playing with it immediately. Glad to see that both WTK and the Chorus Fit issues were resolved (as of now).

On the topic of live albums, I wanted to add that Counting Crows' (who seems to be the band I can't go a day without mentioning) live recordings are phenomenal. One thing that Adam does that I don't know of any other band doing, though someone let me know if there is, is the fact that they will replay their songs and sonically it sounds the same for the most part; but he likes to change the lyrics up to something completely different, or merge lyrics from other musicians' popular songs within his own. So even though I'm able to hear the song that I'm familiar with and have fallen in love with over the years, there's that surprise I know is always coming and have to re-learn this "version" of the song. I have seen them live more times than I can even remember, and I don't think I've ever heard them play a song the same way than they have previously. Sometimes they take their own lyrics from a song and place them within another song of their own. These tactics specifically appeal to me because unlike what you two mentioned on the podcast, I'm one of those people who like to hear the live versions sound just like the album version - because after all that's what I fell in love with. But again, Adam has found a way to deliver that while also bringing this "freshness" about that makes it feel new. It's hard to put to words, but I love it. If I could pick only one album of theirs to listen to, it would be their recent A&EA live album from Town Hall.

 

The Social Network is based on "The Accidental Billionaires" by Ben Mezrich. Also a super dramatic book.

 

That's the one. I was super close with "Billionaire Boys Club" though.

 

The definitive version of "Landslide" is definitely the one on The Dance. I can't even listen to the studio version anymore, because it's such a disappointment compared to the live version.

My favorite live albums are Live 1975-85 by Bruce Springsteen, Across a Wire by Counting Crows, and This Is Me, Justified and Stripped by Butch Walker. Dawes put out a great one this year. That was the first live album from one of my favorite artists in what feels like a very long time.

 

Ben Folds Live

 

I second Thomas' Missing Richard Simmons rec. That shit was wild!

Also everybody should check out S-Town podcast too!

 

S-Town was so good. Punched me in the gut and pissed me off, but it was great.

 

You real feel an entire spectrum of emotions as the episodes continue that's for sure. I laughed, cried, got angry, felt sad, empathy, sympathy. What a ride for real

 

"Fuck it, we'll do it live!"

 

S-Town was an interesting listen, but I got more into the inheritance dispute and sort of fell off at the end. I did like the format of doing the Netflix style dumping all of the episodes at once. Something a little different for the podcast format.

 

Live from Orenzanz that Taking Back Sunday did was phenomenal imo. Also, any of Incubus live is always a treat...especially Sick Sad Little World and the jams they do, S&M is up there...havn't put any thought into live albums at all but there are some gems. Mark Tom and Travis show is #1 though, but I listen for the music in my older age as opposed for the banter like I used to.