Live albums used to be a big deal when I was growing up. Like Kozelek, I watched The Song Remains The Same along with listening to Exit…Stage Left, Live At Leeds, The Last Waltz, etc., etc. They seem to have gone somewhat out of vogue recently. Well either this is coincidence or they are making a comeback as some HearYa faves are releasing some live albums in the early part of 2015.
Dr. Dog – Live At A Flamingo Hotel will be out on 1/13/15. “That’s always what we’ve wanted to do,” says bassist/vocalist Toby Leaman. “We’re one thing on a record and a different thing live. Somebody goes to a DR. DOG show and they come back again and they bring more people with them. Our live show is vital to how we view ourselves as a band.” Agreed, Dr. Dog shows are outrageously good. Songs take on a whole new life.
Ty Segall Band – ‘Live in San Francisco’ Series LP Out Jan. 26. I am typically hit or miss with Ty. Some stuff I love, including his last album Manipulator. Some stuff doesn’t connect. But no denying, the man is prolific and talented.
Phosphorescent – Live At The Music Hall on 2/17. Their shows are fucking epic. Matthew Houck has been keeping with the same band for the last few tours and the results have been fantastic. The version of Los Angeles below is outrageously good. “Playing those four shows, it was clear something special was going on,” says Houck. “After eight months of touring, we’d gotten to a really good point where we weren’t quite exhausted yet with the material, but we’d had enough time to really grow with the songs. So we were in that sweet spot where we were pulling something great out of the songs every night.”
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