favorite live album?

[CADreaming]

Originally Posted by KindOfWoman90

I actually really like his voice now. I like that it's a bit rougher and definitely deeper. However, I actually think he still sounds more like he did say 10 years ago than Stevie does unfortunately. I'm not saying she doesn't sound good, but it seems like Lindsey has a bit more range than she does as of right now.

I wouldn't doubt Lindsey has more of a range than Stevie now -- but not more of a range than he used to have. He's even admitted that - again that's just aging.

Originally Posted by michelej1

I definitely think that Lindsey's younger voice was more flexible, limber and that he could move up and down the scale while still holding the key rather effortlessly. I appreciated the gymnastic talent he had then (just as I appreciated Stevie's vocal athleticism circa Wild Heart) and I did love his higher voice, although I enjoy the way he sounds today and think it such an improvement over the SYW era that I'm thrilled and impressed whenever I hear him and remember back.

Your comments make me wonder how Chris would have been live. Her voice sounded deeper and rich on Meantime, but there were signs of . . .you know how you can hear an old tree bend in the wind . . . well you could sense that in her sound, just a tiny creak, which added emotion to the record, but I wonder how that would stand up on tour.

Lindsey is great on tour because even though he sings (often screams) fearlessly and you think he's going to have to pay for it eventually, he doesn't. I don't know the difference between singing from your diaphragm or singing from your navel, but even though he might be using more disciplined vocal techniques in the old days than he used to, and they pay off endurance wise, I don't sense that they restrain him. Whereas, I do think Stevie restrains herself.

I think it's more of a singing from your throat. At least with me, that's what coaches always had to work on getting me not to do. It's hard - especially when you're singing out - but that's when you strain those vocal chords the worst, I believe. Probably that's what happened with Stevie in the younger days - she screamed too much and just stripped 'em. Plus, trying to sing over blaring guitars... it's all your fault Linds!

Wow - I don't think his voice is better than SYW - but I didn't get to see any live shows. I really think he was at his peak - both vocally & musically during the SYW/UTS/GOS years.

Interesting note about Christine. I've wondered if she's still got the chops. Honestly, if she hasn't continued singing at home, she may not have been able to tour recently even if she had wanted to. I hate it that the glory days are over.

As far as him being less meticulous in his later years, this last year has disappointed me. I'd love to see him tour without a band again, but I hope he ditches both ISA and (sacrilege!) GYOW. I really loved the ISA vocals and actually found them a refreshing take which made me rethink the song's meaning all over again, but musically, after 33 years of live shows, solo and FM, I've never seen the latter, instrumental part of the song fail to peak the way it did this last tour and the same thing with GYOW. With ISA, Lindsey even physically (not just musically) seemed less dynamic to me. So, going forward, if he's alone again, I hope he's not afraid to drop those songs or rework them drastically.

You know, I really did enjoy ISA live - even this version with the clicking. It's always been a real showcase piece I think, but there are so many other versions of it that are just stellar, this one fails to represent and it is probably the absence of the full band - I think this one sounds best with FM.

I'm glad to have the OMS. I want every single tour documented and I mourn Gift of Screws, because I think the performance of the title track alone, short as it was, was worth the price of admission to those shows. I want a DVD of that. So, I'm very grateful to have OMS and I'm glad he was on the road anyway, rather than being at home and out of the public eye, but it was my least favorite tour and listening to it reminds me why.

Michele

I'm definitely glad to have OMS for documentation sake and the points I listed earlier. It's just not my favorite. And, I totally agree with you - I hate that GOS was not recorded live - it was the first solo show I saw and I really enjoyed that album and that period of time in his career.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by CADreaming

I think it's more of a singing from your throat.

Yeah, I was kidding about the navel.

Originally Posted by CADreaming

I'm definitely glad to have OMS for documentation sake and the points I listed earlier. It's just not my favorite. And, I totally agree with you - I hate that GOS was not recorded live - it was the first solo show I saw and I really enjoyed that album and that period of time in his career.

I think ISA is worlds better with a band, even his solo band, not just FM. I want him to tour without a band going forward, if that is the best thing to do, but I want him to really pick songs that are best suited for that. ISA sounded and GYOW both sounded fine on this tour, but I've seen them performed so much better.

I can't really pick which tour I liked best -- aside from this most recent one being last in my ranking. From a pure setlist perspective, I liked the GOS songs best and I liked the UTS songs least. BUT when the UTS tour happened, I didn't have SWS or GOS to compare it to and I thought the UTS tour was spectacular at the time. Only in retrospect can I say that I liked the next two more. Judging each from the contemporaneous pleasure I got out of them then, then I guess they were equal.

Michele

[CADreaming]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Yeah, I was kidding about the navel.

Duh.

I think ISA is worlds better with a band, even his solo band, not just FM. I want him to tour without a band going forward, if that is the best thing to do, but I want him to really pick songs that are best suited for that. ISA sounded and GYOW both sounded fine on this tour, but I've seen them performed so much better.

I can't really pick which tour I liked best -- aside from this most recent one being last in my ranking. From a pure setlist perspective, I liked the GOS songs best and I liked the UTS songs least. BUT when the UTS tour happened, I didn't have SWS or GOS to compare it to and I thought the UTS tour was spectacular at the time. Only in retrospect can I say that I liked the next two more. Judging each from the contemporaneous pleasure I got out of them then, then I guess they were equal.

Michele

I think as much as I loved certain aspects about the tour, when we first heard rumblings about it, we thought it would be all-acoustic and that he would be giving us new arrangements of the rockers, translating them acoustically. I think that would have not only worked better in the OMS setting, but I also think it was part of the let-down for me.

[elle]

Originally Posted by michelej1

I'd love to see him tour without a band again, but I hope he ditches both ISA and (sacrilege!) GYOW. I really loved the ISA vocals and actually found them a refreshing take which made me rethink the song's meaning all over again, but musically, after 33 years of live shows, solo and FM, I've never seen the latter, instrumental part of the song fail to peak the way it did this last tour and the same thing with GYOW. With ISA, Lindsey even physically (not just musically) seemed less dynamic to me. So, going forward, if he's alone again, I hope he's not afraid to drop those songs or rework them drastically.

this analysis of his peaking and movement on stage and how same songs sound or feel physically and your later post about different tours just gave me great idea for [yet] another poll - comparison of various solo tours and picking the favorite.

while i can't decide between Small Machine and OMS release, i can easily decide which tour of the 2 i saw i liked better.

re movement on the stage and how that affected songs, while ISA i thought was spectacular during OMS tour every single time, GYOW was completely hit or miss, depending on LB's movement and audience participation (i'm talking about the last 3 legs, b/c during the first leg seemed like he was still getting used to be alone up there so he was not moving from side to side of the stage for audience participation like he did during later 3 tour legs).

[McTrouble]

Originally Posted by CADreaming

Some of my opinion of the audio of OMS may be based on desk speakers I am listening through. I'll have to try it in my car or home stereo to see if the sound quality changes.



You asked me why I felt it was a disappointment to me and I gave you the details. It's not important enough to me to debate with you on it.

I do want to point out that as a singer and a guitarist, I do hear the flubs and when something is out of tune. There is one song - can't remember which one - where it was so obvious I cringed. And, I think Lindsey has gotten a little more lax in his "perfectionism" in his senior years, especially when it comes to his solo work.



I don't think it's worth my time just to have you debate every point with me. I appreciate Elle's attempt to converse on it though.

Elle, I would like to throw this out there from your comments -- I think what you call Lindsey's "thin" voice in his younger days is actually his higher register. As a person ages, their voice tends to "thin" in singing. It's inevitable -- it's rare that an older person can maintain a true fullness in their voice in their 60's+. That's not to say that Lindsey isn't able to have moments where his voice is full -- he does. And, I think probably even more now -- my guess is that he has used techniques he picked up from vocal coaching that they didn't really have as much in the old days, much like Stevie has done. But, there are still a lot more instances now (that are just purely due to his age) where his voice gets thin. It's not horrible, I just hear it and when I listen to young Lindsey back to back with now Lindsey -- it's obvious.

I think he is still a perfectionist - however, this might not appear as obvious because he is happy, relaxed, letting himself go and having fun, and generally having a blast without any stress or irritation to contend with!

[McTrouble]

Originally Posted by michelej1

I definitely think that Lindsey's younger voice was more flexible, limber and that he could move up and down the scale while still holding the key rather effortlessly. I appreciated the gymnastic talent he had then (just as I appreciated Stevie's vocal athleticism circa Wild Heart) and I did love his higher voice, although I enjoy the way he sounds today and think it such an improvement over the SYW era that I'm thrilled and impressed whenever I hear him and remember back.

Your comments make me wonder how Chris would have been live. Her voice sounded deeper and rich on Meantime, but there were signs of . . .you know how you can hear an old tree bend in the wind . . . well you could sense that in her sound, just a tiny creak, which added emotion to the record, but I wonder how that would stand up on tour.

Lindsey is great on tour because even though he sings (often screams) fearlessly and you think he's going to have to pay for it eventually, he doesn't. I don't know the difference between singing from your diaphragm or singing from your navel, but even though he might be using more disciplined vocal techniques in the old days than he used to, and they pay off endurance wise, I don't sense that they restrain him. Whereas, I do think Stevie restrains herself.

As far as him being less meticulous in his later years, this last year has disappointed me. I'd love to see him tour without a band again, but I hope he ditches both ISA and (sacrilege!) GYOW. I really loved the ISA vocals and actually found them a refreshing take which made me rethink the song's meaning all over again, but musically, after 33 years of live shows, solo and FM, I've never seen the latter, instrumental part of the song fail to peak the way it did this last tour and the same thing with GYOW. With ISA, Lindsey even physically (not just musically) seemed less dynamic to me. So, going forward, if he's alone again, I hope he's not afraid to drop those songs or rework them drastically.

I'm glad to have the OMS. I want every single tour documented and I mourn Gift of Screws, because I think the performance of the title track alone, short as it was, was worth the price of admission to those shows. I want a DVD of that. So, I'm very grateful to have OMS and I'm glad he was on the road anyway, rather than being at home and out of the public eye, but it was my least favorite tour and listening to it reminds me why.

Michele

He better not drop or rework ISA - this OMS version was best EVER!

[elle]

Originally Posted by CADreaming

I'm definitely glad to have OMS for documentation sake and the points I listed earlier.

he should have recorded every show and released it after to the people who were at that show like several bands have been doing. that would solve people having regrets of not having versions, speeches and requests from the shows they were at (like your regretting about not having southern love speech).

[WildHearted]

Originally Posted by elle

he should have recorded every show and released it after to the people who were at that show like several bands have been doing. that would solve people having regrets of not having versions, speeches and requests from the shows they were at (like your regretting about not having southern love speech).

I recorded the southern love speech from Atlanta 2012 if that's the one... I thought someone else had put it up though. If not I can dig it up and share.

[elle]

Originally Posted by McTrouble

I think he is still a perfectionist - however, this might not appear as obvious because he is happy, relaxed, letting himself go and having fun, and generally having a blast without any stress or irritation to contend with!

does seem so, doesn't it? i was thinking of that while reading that interview from 2003 that Michele posted about him saying how he's living much more normal and relaxed life now, and actually making friends instead of just having girlfriends - or something like that. it was a bizarre statement to make, and i'm not sure what he really meant by it.

[elle]

Originally Posted by WildHearted

I recorded the southern love speech from Atlanta 2012 if that's the one... I thought someone else had put it up though. If not I can dig it up and share.

someone did put it up because i remember hearing a version of it but it was not from Atlanta i think. please do share!

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by McTrouble

He better not drop or rework ISA - this OMS version was best EVER!

Of the two, I know he's not going to drop GYOW. So, my hopes stay pinned on ISA.

He says he looked over when they played for Clinton and Clinton was singing the words to ISA and LB was surprised since it was never released as a single, so that probably convinced him that it should never ever be dropped from any setlist of his for the rest of his life, but I can dream.

No, I love it with a band. I do think it's a show highlight.

Michele

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by elle

GYOW was completely hit or miss, depending on LB's movement and audience participation

With audience participation, I sometimes wonder chicken/egg. Those nights when he keeps his eyes closed most of the time, why do you think he does it? Do you think it's just the mood he is in then?

You could say he might do it because the audience is lackluster. I understand that. If they are dead during the first 4 or 5 songs, then it would be natural for him to go inside himself a little, but really he sometimes does that during the early songs. When this happens, it actually sets the pace and makes the audience more subdued. They follow his vibe. It's contagious. I wonder if sometimes maybe if it's the venue. If he doesn't like the venue, does he close his eyes more to transport himself to another place mentally?

Obviously, an event like the This is 40 Roxy thing is different, because most people weren't there to see him and he wasn't playing a full set for that, so maybe he closed his eyes more to concentrate better. But I wonder.

Michele

[McTrouble]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Of the two, I know he's not going to drop GYOW. So, my hopes stay pinned on ISA.

He says he looked over when they played for Clinton and Clinton was singing the words to ISA and LB was surprised since it was never released as a single, so that probably convinced him that it should never ever be dropped from any setlist of his for the rest of his life, but I can dream.

No, I love it with a band. I do think it's a show highlight.

Michele

It's the complete opposite for me - not over keen on it with band (in fact never really liked the song at all)!

But it quickly became show highlight for me during OMS tour - goosebumps every time!

[McTrouble]

Originally Posted by michelej1

With audience participation, I sometimes wonder chicken/egg. Those nights when he keeps his eyes closed most of the time, why do you think he does it? Do you think it's just the mood he is in then?

You could say he might do it because the audience is lackluster. I understand that. If they are dead during the first 4 or 5 songs, then it would be natural for him to go inside himself a little, but really he sometimes does that during the early songs. When this happens, it actually sets the pace and makes the audience more subdued. They follow his vibe. It's contagious. I wonder if sometimes maybe if it's the venue. If he doesn't like the venue, does he close his eyes more to transport himself to another place mentally?

Obviously, an event like the This is 40 Roxy thing is different, because most people weren't there to see him and he wasn't playing a full set for that, so maybe he closed his eyes more to concentrate better. But I wonder.

Michele

If he doesn't like venue he sure doesn't try to hide the fact!

[Lindsfan]

Originally Posted by CADreaming

Some of my opinion of the audio of OMS may be based on desk speakers I am listening through. I'll have to try it in my car or home stereo to see if the sound quality changes.

I was actually going to suggest that

I don't expect it to make you do a 180 on your opinion but, after reading your review, I actually went and listened to the whole thing again too, and I just don't hear what you're hearing. It's a no-frills recording so as they say, it is what it is as far as production goes. I don't care for the way the crowd sounds ( like they're in another room), but I don't hear a whole lot to take issue with in his performance. Especially with regards to BTLH being a hot mess
It's seems to me like it's a pretty tough song to sing (and play) live, so I'm always just impressed when he gets through it. But, in this case, I think it's darn near perfect. Not because I love the song, or don't see any fault with Lindsey. I just think compared to other bootleg audios and videos where he does it, this one stands out to me as being really very good. It's in tune, his singing is good, the playing is great. In fact, the only song that stood out to me as having a tuning problem was Stephanie! I heard him play it plenty of times, and there are definitely a couple of off strums on this recording It actually struck me the first time I heard it when I was flying home the day after the Washburn show. I had to play it back because it was so odd sounding to me. Like I said, the Fort Worth is the best version of Stephanie. But BTLH I've never heard better, solo.

Originally Posted by CADreaming

• The whoops & hollers from the audience bug me. (And rarely does that bother me in live recordings but it does here.) At one point the track cuts off the hollering abruptly which was jarring. Poor editing on someone's part. Needed to fade out/into next track better.

• Missed the "Southern" speech/BN reference. I know this wasn't recorded in the South, but maybe it should have been.

• Overall, I miss production or better editing/mixing and it showcases more "flubs" than I want to admit Lindsey has in his playing. It's a little sloppy.

Just a few things I have to mention that I respectfully disagree with you on here.

1) I completelt disagree with you about the flubs. There just ARENT any outright flubs. A missed note or two sure but that's one of the things I love about the completely solo shows! He puts himself out there, just him so every little thing is there crystal clear. Who else does that?? He's not afraid to bare it all ya know? All alone, every note he plays and sings is on full display and damn. It's impressive. And if he misses the occasional note, I find it kind of endearing. He's human, and I like that it shows sometimes.

Just out of curiosity, since you like Soundstage (as I do as well), does his "flub" at the end of NGBA bother you also He did more than one take on some of those songs, so he could have re-done that one...or edited it later. But he didn't. He let it ride, and I'm glad he did, for the same reasons as with BTLH. I don't need - or want - a live recording to be perfect. But that's me.

2) I always find it odd when people complain about audience noise on a live recording ( and I don't mean just you, CAD. I hear it now and then). To me that's part of the charm of a live recording. Feeling like you're actually there!

3) Be honest, you have to admit, finding fault in him not talking about the south in a show in Iowa isn't really very fair. That would be like me not liking Live in Boston because he thanks the Boston audience rather than the Seattle audience