Rating:
Genre:
R&B
Release Date: 08/11/1998
Run Time: 66:09
Originally issued on vinyl and cassette,
the Spinners'
Live is much better on CD. The original was a foldout double-sleeve job with two vinyl disks. The worst tune, their campy rendition of
George and
Ira Gershwin's
"Fascinating Rhythm," is track one. Maybe in person they spiced it with fancy choreography, but without any visuals, it's just blah. For some strange reason they omitted
"I'll Be Around," which would have been a far superior opening track than
the Gershwins' dinosaur. The excitement unfolds with
"I've Got to Make It on My Own" from their latest studio album (at that point),
New and Improved. They perform it with the ferocity of a new single; it wasn't, but the inspiring song should have been. Then comes siesta time again via
Thom Bell and
Linda Creed's unusual tempo
"Living Just a Little, Laughing Just a Little"; the best way to look at that death march is to view it as the quiet before the storm of chartbusters, including
"Then Came You," a theatrical
"Sadie," and the swaying
"How Could I Let You Get Away" (featuring imitations of
Al Green,
Sam Cooke, and
Otis Redding). They bust into
"Could It Be I'm Falling in Love," then traipse into a longer medley imitating everybody from
Tom Jones to
the Marvelettes.
Philippe Wynne literally cries the lyrics in the icy rendition of
"Love Don't Love Nobody" that follows, before the disk spins out with the energetic
"Mighty Love." Live is a good, if not great, live album where the highs make up for the lows, but
Wynne's performance makes it essential. It sold well, and fans began awaiting
Live, Vol. 2 -- unfortunately, they still are. Despite good sales and more hits,
the Spinners never did another live one.
~Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide
;)
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