FUZZED IN EUROPE

Year after their great third "Requem"-album Goat released already second live record. When "Live Ballroom Ritual" was recorded from one concert, this album songs are taken from Manchester, Gothenburg, Paris, London and Berlin on their 2016 tour. Their first live album was released right after "World Music", so material was only from it and some singles. In this LP songs from every album is included and two songs have released before as single. Together with "Double Date" these are only vinyl releases.

As their second album "Commune", "Fuzzed In Europe" starts with "Talk To God". It´s one of my favorites from them! This version is very same kind of as in "Commune" except doesn´t have that great reverb that is whole through the album. "Time For Fun" is originally only single piece. When studio version has drum machine, in this live version there are only natural rhythmic instruments and it makes this song much better! Very good groove in it! Also I like farfisa sounding organ in this. "I Sing In Silence" is a neat song, but not really best ones from "Requem", so I don´t quite understand why they chose it in this album. Version is very similar as the studio piece.

Some reason "Gathering Of Ancient Tribes" hasn´t got the power as it should have! Maybe it has taken from the very end of the tour and they were tired? Last two pieces were already in "Live Ball Room Ritual". "The Sun The Moon" is again only in single released piece. This live version is clearly recorded than in previous album, but also lacks little bit strength the original version has. "Run To Your Mama" is ten minutes long version. Intensity starts to rise in the middle of song, but it ends into only vocals as always. Maybe little bit too long version without enough interesting jamming.

Goat hasn´t succeeded to capture their gig magic and intensity neither of these live recordings. This album is better recorded than previous one, but to me it sounds like there are only direct microphones from the instruments and vocals and no mics taking the sound of the concert hall. All the way sound is very tame. To me it seems these songs have recorded straight from the board and not mixed much after that. Also I am wondering did they really choose the best versions from their tour. Hope we will have some day better Goat live album, but of course the best experience is to go to see them alive!