Live At the Apollo, James Brown, 1963, :31
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
I get that this is considered one of the greatest live albums of all time, but for me I hear more crowd noise than power on stage. Don't get me wrong, this is a terrific concert with a very talented band, but being a fan of Brown's classic studio material and having read the unending hype about this album, I was expecting something almost... primordial. Instead, it seems no more than a fine live album. Maybe I just lack the hipness or funk to appreciate it, but off the top of my head I can list the Clash's From Here to Eternity or Dylan's 1966 Manchester concerts, or Midnight Oil's Scream in Blue or Lou Reed's Perfect Night as more powerful and electrifying live performances. Favorite tracks: the hard-hitting "Think," the city-shout-out "Night Train." The medleys are good as well.
