MelodicRock.com Reviews


WESTWORLD
LIVE & IN THE FLESH
Z Records ZR1997055
Produced by: Westworld
Released: OUT / Website
Closest Relative: TNT, D2, Riot
GENRE: Hard Rock
OVERALL: 88%

  1. I Belong
  2. Skin
  3. Uneasy
  4. Black Shadow Symphony
  5. Uninvited
  6. Get A Life
  7. Ivory Towers
  8. Shame
  9. Elastic
  10. Bring The Water To Me
  11. Illusions
  12. 10,000 Lovers In One
  13. Swords & Tequila
  14. Ice Queen

Now this is how I like 'em!
Westworld recently recorded this album live in NYC. The album features songs from their first 2 albums so far and is a great snapshot of the band live.
This is a raw, honest and unaffected live recording. The band - comprising of Tony Harnell, Bruno Ravel, Mark Reale, John O. Reilly and John Pincus have things well under control on stage and bring new energy to the songs we already know.
What I love about this is that there is an obvious difference in the quality of the album version to those played out on this record.
You know it's live, you know it's real, you know there are no overdubs or special effects or erased mistakes. This is what rock n roll should be about - raw, passionate and honest musicians collectively gelling on stage and producing a record that you want to play over and over.
I believe I have played both Aerosmith and Kiss' last, so called 'live' albums, about twice a piece. Not atmosphere or attitude there at all. Westworld have attitude!
Now, the production may not be the best and is sonically a long way from perfect, but for me, that just makes it feel more realistic, like you are actually there - in the middle of the show, each time you play this.
You know the songs, so I won't dissect them too much. I will add that versions of these tracks have a real bite to them. Quite awesome.
Violinist Mark Wood joins the band on a couple of tracks - Uninvited and Black Shadow Symphony - which sounds even heavier here than on record.
Also a highlight is the big melodic rock anthems Uneasy, Illusions and the opening hard edged rocker I Belong.
Tony pitches in with an introduction of all the guys - nice to see some talking left on a live record for a change and covers the TNT classic 10,000 Lovers In One.
BOTTOM LINE: The band kick ass on this live recording. This is a great, raw, honest, attitude filled live record. I wish there was more like them. Just as the Now & Then released Mark Free live album, this is going to be one of my favorite live records.
Why aren't there more like this? Good to see the smaller labels and artists out doing the big slick production releases of the majors.
PRODUCTION: 70% SONGS: 95% VIBE: 90%ATTITUDE: 95%
ESSENTIAL FOR: All fans of Westworld and Tony Harnell and co.
DISCOGRAPHY:Westworld . Skin . Live...In The Flesh



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