Man - ' Live At The Padget Rooms, Penarth'
(Esoteric / Cherry Red) Cat. No: ECLEC2014
From Aural Innovations #38 (Jan 2008)
Recorded at a concert by Man that took place on April 8, 1972. Sound quality
is quite good with sort of a raw edge to it. Turns out that this 2-CD import
is an expanded reissue of the original album. A few years ago, ' Live At The
Padget Rooms' was reissued as a single CD title, but this Esoteric pressing
adds three more tracks onto the album's already existing cuts. Don't think I've
ever seen a live record to get expanded by twice it's initial length. Appears
that you get the entire show here. Starts off with the twenty-three minute Man
jamming classic "Spunk Rock", it sounds just so ' 70's-ish. "Many
Are Called, But Few Get Up" has a rather good heavy vibe to it and "Angel
Easy" brings the band right back to what they do second best - playing
fine blues rock. The first of course is displaying their ability to create superb
psychedelic rock and roll. "H. Samuel" is another epic - clocking
in at nineteen minutes, the later half of this song would possibly make a good
soundtrack to a suspense movie. "Romain" brings to mind some almost
southern fried rock and "Daughter In The Fireplace" is another one
of Man's steady rockers, that sound better especially when performed in front
of a live audience. Heard an interesting story about this album when it first
came out. That it was a budget-priced lp that had a limited release of just
8,000 copies. It sold out in a very short time and after that, it became somewhat
of a collector's item. Enjoy this full length live concert recording. As for
live albums go, this is one of the better reissues I've heard in sometime now.
Personally, I believe I liked disc two better. But both discs will likely spend
plenty of time in your current rotation stack like it will mine. Essential.
Check out the record label web site at: http://www.cherryred.co.uk
Reviewed by Mike Reed