Recorded live while on tour in Budapest in the spring of 1993 with Manfred (keyboards and synths), John Lingwood (drums), Pat Waller (lead guitar), Pat King (bass) and Chris Thompson (guitar and vocals). The Earth Band at this point has nothing in common with the original line-up except Manfred himself. The arrangements are simplified and the performance executed with professional anonynimity. There is no passion here, just what sounds like an energetic '80s cover band performing covers of the covers originally covered by the Earth Band(!!). There is not a single original composition here, attesting Manfred's preference at choosing compositions rather than composing his own, a chronic blessing and curse throughout the Earth Band's (and even earlier) career. This CD is best left to completionists (like me) who have to own everything the Earth Band ever recorded, good or bad. Chris Thompson's vocals, as they always are, are beautiful, but even here he sounds almost as cliche as the choice of songs (Demolition Man by Sting, Redemption Song by Bob Marley, and of course Quinn by Dylan and Blinded by Springsteen). There are no risks. The band performs safely within the bounds of professional pop music. Nothing here even remotely is remeniscent of the signature live capabilities of the band as heard on past live cuts such as Waiter Ther's A Yawn... or As Above So Below. Even Davy's On The Road and Spirits In The Night suffer from the generic stamp of simplification and pop homogenization.
What a great Cd- perhaps the best composition of Manfred Mann's Songs ever! All of my favourites are encluded. Every Fan of the "Rock" days of Manfred Mann's career should try this one. Still one of the best Live Bands on the world they allways give anything! .
