Umvd Import
2008
Live At The Bbc
About This Album
Live at the BBC excerpts two performances by the Robert Cray Band at Hammersmith Odeon in 1988 and 1991, respectively. The Hammersmith shows were multi-night affairs -- in 1991 there were four -- from which the BBC assembled a pair of hour-long broadcasts. Unfortunately, this hastily issued, shoddily notated CD package gives only the dates of the original radio programs. There are no musician's credits whatsoever. The liner notes by Peter Doggett simply offer a thumbnail biography. Talk about how great Cray is -- continually cite Eric Clapton and Robert Christgau as proof -- and give the sketchiest of details about the actual shows. The first six cuts are the Cray band supporting Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. They perform three cuts from that album, and three from Cray's 1986 breakthrough Strong Persuader. These tracks are adequate with Cray in fine voice and playing plenty of guitar. That said, they all suffer form really dated keyboard sounds; the synths are especially cheesy. Faring better are the eight cuts form the 1991 shows of Cray touring in support of 1990s Midnight Stroll. The Memphis Horns were part of the group for these shows, and the fuller backing lends real electricity to these performances.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 10)

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