Product Description
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2008 two CD set, the third installment in this popular
series of compilations that lifts tracks from the popular BBC
Radio One show Live Lounge. Volume Three promises to be even
stronger than the first two and will build on the success, and
the word-of-mouth from the first Live Lounge collections. The
album is made up of tracks from Jo Whiley's lunchtime show (five
million listeners) where bands performed their own track, or a
cover version. The tracks are live and stripped down, showing the
true quality of the musicianship and craft of the song. The album
is a combination of alternative versions of band classics plus
unique cover versions recorded live in BBC Maida Vale. Includes
cuts from Duffy, Pigeon Detectives, McFly, the Ting Tings, Sam
Sparro, the Kooks, the Streets, Elbow, Scouting for Girls, Adele
and many others. 40 tracks. Sony/BMG.
.co.uk
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Say what you like about BBC Radio 1, its DJs or its
playlists, theyre definitely getting one thing right through
their commitment to live music--particularly with regards to the
often quirky fruits that tumble forth from its Live Lounge.
Volume 3 of the double CD collections from these sessions arrives
packed with more than enough in the way of gems to offset the few
inevitable run-of-the-mill single performances. Those justifying
the format when modifying their own tracks include Kasabian
working "Sympathy for the Devil" into "LSF", Duffy bringing some
grit to a stripped down "Mercy", absent as shes trotted it out
endlessly elsewhere, and a bare, emotional "Daddys Gone" from
Glasve. The real value of the set though is found in amongst
Girls Alouds sensitive version of "With Every Heartbeat"
(originally by Robyn), Ida Marias feisty "Sweet About Me"
(Gabriella Cilmi), REM sketching "Munich" (Editors) out with
mandolin refinement, Kate Nash absolutely owning a cute, giddy
"Fluorescent Adolescent" (Arctic Monkeys), Goldfrapps haunting
"Its Not Over Yet" (Grace--made famous again by Klaxons),
Santogolds paranoid and chilling take on "Hometown Glory"
(Adele) and Bat for Lashes pulsing, minimalist "Sweet Dreams"
(Eurhythmics). If youre looking for one single convincing reason
to own this though, look no further than Dizzee Rascals
bench-press solid, somersault swaggering, air-punching
attitude-laden re-jigging of the Ting Tings "Thats Not My
Name". Its enough to justify the licence fee. --James Berry
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Review
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"They call me Blood, they call me Rude-boy, they call me
Oi, they call me Mate. That's not my name," belts out Dizzee
Rascal as he reworks The Ting Tings' number one hit That's Not My
Name. Really, you should buy Radio 1's Live Lounge- Volume 3 for
this cover alone. But that would be silly.
There are several other reasons that make this double disc of 40
live tracks (covers and classics) good. Sadly, there are several
more that make it bad. The glaring problem with the Live Lounge
series is that its quirkiness doesn't transfer well on to record.
Live on radio or, better still, on stage, Elliot Minor covering
Take That's Rule The World has the power to wow. In your car, it
simply makes the listener remark, 'Oh yes, that's clever'. In
other words, you may find yourself spinning this compilation
twice, maybe thrice, then becoming considerably 'over it'.
Thankfully, there are several exceptions to this rule, namely The
Hoosiers' stunning delivery of Justin Timberlake's Lovestoned-
breathtaking, live or otherwise. Meanwhile Girls Aloud step up
their game and defy the most miserable critique with their
brilliant rendition of Robyn's With Every Heartbeat and the
Pigeon Detectives make Hot Chip's Ready For The Floor totally
their own. The real red herring, however, is Goldfrapp's cover of
It's Not Over Yet by Grace. Who'd have thought even the classiest
act could make this cheese sound so good.
Of the smaller minority of original material (performed and
recorded live), Duffy's Mercy, Kasabian's LSF and Ne-Yo's Closer
gleam.
A highly enjoyable compilation, if only for a couple of listens.
--Elle J Small
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