Now that's what I'm talking about, a live album that sounds like a live album, warts and all. Having seen these guys a few times and knowing their penchant for extended jams, I am a bit surprised at the directness of the material on this two CD set, but that is not a bad thing, actually it's more of a blessing. These songs practically drip and ooze grease and grime from the speakers and the band sounds tight and carefree at the sametime. Chris Robinson simply smokes on this CD, the guy has pipes that are just meant to play this sort of music and these guys put most bands to shame in a live context. The album is mixed raw and exactly like you would hear it at the shows, with each guitarist panned hard to either side of the stereo spectrum to truely capture the liveness of their show. My only gripe is that guitarist/brother Rich Robinson is mixed a bit too loud, but that isn't a major thing. newest member, guitarist Audley Freed (ex-Cry of Love) is simply smoking and his tone is amazing, and I only wish he got more exposure from this band. The material spans the entire Crowes catalog and each song sounds fresh and raw, particularly "Wiser Time", "Cursed Diamond", "High Head Blues" and the classic "She Talks To Angels", which still sounds amazing more than 13 years since it made it's debut. These guys are simply pros at what they do and this two CD epitaph is a testimonial to the power of this band and their ability to write and perform some serious rock and roll in a time when so many "bands" focus more time on how long their facial hair is, or how many sneaker company endorsements they can land, rather than learning how to write a damn song. So please folks, take some time, sit back and enjoy this live disc. It smokes and so should you....
