LIVE IN AMERICA

First of all I don' t understand the choice regarding the bonus tracks: a few melodic songs taken from "Akustika", including such a famous ballad like "The smile has left you eyes", whose utility is not clear here...then the new (actually the old one) proposal for the same songs as in their live from Boston (this latter being already equal to the "UK classics" or also to "The road test"), which is a sort of duplication regarding all the US concerts, even though from the "best music era" concerning the remarkable Wetton's career!! Besides their usual famous songs- such as "The Only thing She Needs", "Carring No Cross" and "Caesar's Palace Blues"- don't add anything new, in comparison to the excellent version of their studio album; nevertheless it's always a pleasure listening to a couple of virtuosic musicians like Holdsworth and Jobson together, plus an excellent bass player like Wetton...the problem was the absurd competition between the guitarist (which brought about his continual improvisation in the composition) and the keyboard player, whose duplication of the identical solos during every concert, was the pretentious attitude to oblige Mr Holdsworth to do the same and- of course- it was not the right thing in my opinion...the album"Danger Money", without Holdsworth, made the ensemble a "keyboard-oriented trio", unlike the line-up of the first album, whose music direction is more jazzy and "prog- fusion like". So, as for all these reasons, the lack of a great guitarist in the following year was the cause of their ruin- as well as the end of the supergroup...generally I prefer the studio version, but the present live is worth checking out at least (the same consideration as for "UK road test"), even though I don't like the mixer effects regulated on Wetton's voice without reverberation.

Good but not essential in my opinion!!

Review Nº 703

'Live In America' is the fifth live album of UK and was released in 2007. It was originally recorded in 1978 from a live show in Boston, Massachusetts in USA under the name of 'Concert Classics Vol. 4'. It was also re-released in Japan on the CD format in 2007 as 'Live In Boston'. It was subsequently been re-issued under the name of 'Live In America'.

The sleeve notes date the concert as 11 September 1978 performed at the Paradise Theatre in Boston. However, that date is wrong because it was on 11 July 1978. The track listing is also incorrect because the real name of the sixth track should be 'Presto Vivace/In The Dead Of Night' instead of 'In The Dead Of Night'. 'In The Dead Of Night' was originally a track divided into three parts 'In The Dead Of Night', 'By The Lord Of Day' and 'Presto Vivace And Reprise'. So, 'Presto Vivace', which originally was the third part, was played as a bridge to the first part of the track 'In The Dead Of Night'. The problem with these errors is this was probably a release without the approval of the band.

As many of us know, UK was a progressive rock super group with a very short life and that was formed in the end of the classic progressive musical era. It was formed by John Wetton and Bill Bruford after the release of 'Red' of King Crimson and Robert Fripp decided to suspend the activity of the band. Initially UK was formed by both musicians with Eddie Jobson and Allan Holdsworth. Jobson was the ex keyboardist/violinist of Roxy Music. Wetton knew him from his work with Roxy Music in 1976. Bruford recruited the guitarist Holdsworth who had played with him on his solo debut studio album 'Feels Good To Me'. So, the four musicians released the eponymous debut studio album of UK in 1978.

After only one album the line up of the band changed drastically. Bruford and Holdsworth left and Terry Bozio entered to the group. The concerts by the first line up were bootlegged many times, especially since these gigs featured material that would be released on their second studio album. The show on this live album was broadcast on the radio and recorded in 1978 in Boston. The bootleg character is still preserved, because of the really cheap lay out of the bootleg and the mistakes in the track listing. Besides, the CD has been withdraw from the markets already, because there's a dispute between Concert Classics and EG Records over the rights. So, if you get a copy, you have a collector's item on your hands. Still, you can get a copy of the Japanese edition 'Live In Boston' but for a highest price.

'Live In America' has seven tracks. 'Alaska' was released on their eponymous debut studio album. 'Time To Kill' was also released on their eponymous debut studio album. 'The Only Thing She Needs' was released on their second studio album 'Danger Money'. 'Carrying No Cross' was also released on 'Danger Money'. 'Thirty Years' was released on their eponymous debut studio album. 'In The Dead Of Night' was also released on their eponymous debut studio album. 'Caesar's Palace Blues' was released on 'Danger Money'.

So, 'Live In America' offers a live recording of the original UK line up, between their debut album and 'Danger Money'. The opener 'Alaska' and 'Time To Kill' come in a routine version because they come from their debut. But then it follows with 'The Only Thing She Needs', which should only get its final form on 'Danger Money', has truly a furious Holdsworth playing. The difference is even more blatant with 'Carrying No Cross'. Here the entire instrumental middle section is different, again a breathtaking Holdsworth. One thing becomes clear in these two pieces. Holdsworth was responsible for the jazzy note on their debut. Without his guitar riffs the music of UK takes on a different character. On 'Thirty Years', Holdsworth is over the place and Bruford rules. The instrumental section is brilliant. 'Presto Vivace/In The Dead Of Night' was given to it a new interpretation of the original piece, which is nice. It has some extra key parts here and there, which is very nice. On 'Caesar's Palace Blues' the tempo and character were later completely changed on 'Danger Money'. This live version has nothing to do with the furious virtuosity of the version on 'Night After Night'.

Conclusion: 'Live In America' is the third version of this live concert. It also includes four Wetton solo recordings taken from his live album 'Akustika ' Live In America' released in 1996, 'Rendez-Vous', 'Thirty Years', 'The Smile Has Left Your Eyes' and 'Christina'. Here we can see a great band with Allan Holdsworth and Bill Bruford on board, and the fantastic chemistry between them. There were some doubts about the reasons they pulled out of the band. It seems they left due to musical divergences between Holdsworth and Eddie Jobson. It seems Jobson wanted Holdsworth made exactly the same guitar solos every night, between some other things. This made Holdsworth unsatisfied and made him to left, soon be joined by Bruford. Thus, the final result for UK was only a studio work and two live albums, this one and 'Shadows From The Sun' released in 1978. And it was really a pity because UK is a band that has a cult status in the prog rock scene. So, if you can't buy 'Live In America', I advise you to buy 'Live In Boston'. Believe me, it worth it.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)