Rating: 4/5
Review:
Decent but not great live Heat
This is a decent live recording of Canned Heat from 1973. Old Heat fans like me will want it and will probably enjoy it but for me it's not a great live album.
The first thing to say is that the sound quality is fine. For an early 70s live recording it's pretty good, in fact. Balance is OK most of the time, it's reasonably clear and the audience noise is at a level where it doesn't interfere with the music. (This is in marked contrast to the dreadful sound quality on the recent release of a 1971 Heat and John Lee Hooker concert, which is best avoided.)
The performances are OK, but not much more than that to my ears. Bob Hite was always good and sometimes electrifying, but he sounds just a bit lacklustre to me here. Similarly, the band are fine but lack that real drive and bite they sometimes achieved. It may just be me, but I get a feeling of a band just a bit jaded with being on tour and slightly going through the motions. I know, too, that fans all have their own favourite Heat line-up, but this isn't mine. Alan Wilson especially gave them a balance and a touch with his voice and guitar (particularly his bottleneck work) which was never quite regained after his death and I think it shows on this album.
There's nothing wrong with this and others may well enjoy it very much. Personally, I think it's one of those albums I'm glad to have heard but probably won't be playing that often in the future so I can only recommend it with some reservations.
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