Live In Berlin - BBC Big Band

Advantages: Hey, it's the Beatles!
Disadvantages: Not as polished as later output. Mostly not their own songs.

...First, let me make this clear: I LOVE the Beatles, and although by no means a specialist, I am a big fan. This album is quite different from the rest of the Beatles' albums, as it is not up to their usual studio recorded, very well produced standards. All the tracks were recorded during sessions the band did at the BBC in 1963/65. And while this format often leads to a lack of sound quality (although I guess no-one could have produced this better than George Martin himself), this is more than compensated by the sheer joy of being able to hear the Fab Ones live. We are offered a glimpse of the brilliant live talent we were deprived of by the excesses of Beatlemania. I won't list all the tracks as this double album contains almost 70. Suffice to say that 14 of the tracks are Lennon/McCartney songs (of which one, 'I'll be on my way... Read review

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Advantages: Pretty far out stuff, I ain't never heard anything like it before
Disadvantages: Hard to get into, will need to see live to get full experience

..., “Superhero Music” came out some time later. They’re with the Manchester-based Grand Central record label and they’re a two-man band consisting of DJ Peter Parker (who some of you may know if you’re Mancunian and keep your ear to the Manchester music circuit) and Sneaky who is known by a more sensible and real name but for the life of me I can’t quite remember. Anyway, they debuted their latest album “Fingathing and the Big Red Nebula Band” halfway through the Mr. Scruff gig, as well as playing some of their older stuff for two hours. And what a stonking two hours it was. In hindsight its probably easier to appreciate Fingathing if you’ve seen them live like I have. Its not just the music, but in a similar manner to bands like Bjork or Goldfrapp, but they put on a great visual show as well. Peter Parker has under his control a scratching deck... Read review

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Advantages: Interesting, eclectic list of guests and collaborators
Disadvantages: A few so-so tracks

...Sting, George Harrison, Van Morrison, Paul Weller, Jamiroquai, David Gilmour, all on one record? What unites them? The common factor is that all have either appeared on ‘Later With Jools Holland’ on TV, or worked with the former Squeeze keyboard player turned bandleader on previous projects. Now he, his piano and 30ish-strong big band get to accompany a bunch of friends on songs old, new (seven co-written by the guest performer with JH himself), borrowed and blue(s) (and jazz). Sting’s ‘Seventh Son’, an old Willie Dixon standard which gave Georgie Fame (who was probably the Jools Holland of the 70s) a hit in 1969 gets things off to a full-blooded start. The ex-Policeman is too often a byword for dullness these days, but you’d hardly recognise him on this lively jazz workout. The same goes... Read review

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