START THE FIRE - LIVE

This live album contains five tracks from their last album which is normal since it was its supporting tour. But this live set is more a tribute than anything else. The presence of Ray Wilson on two tracks only adds more credit to this. He was already a guest on "Start The fire" (their last album) for the number "Roses". In this concert, he will also be on vocals for "Not About Us" which is another song from "Calling All Stations" (the last "Genesis" studio album to date). In terms of "Genesis" you can easily recognize some "I Know What I Like" notes in the second half of "Day On My Pillow" (around 4'30") .

The band has been covering "Opel" already in their album "Stock". Brilliantly, I have to say. This nice and gentle acoustic song from Syd Barrett has been completely revisited and has been transformed in a great rock psychedelia. This live version is just a great tribute to Syd.

There will also be two true "Floyd" songs of which "Cymbaline". This is not the best known song from the band. It was by far the best song from the very average "More" album (a soundtrack). While played live (mostly during the Atom Heart Mother" tour in 70/71 (but there are already traces of it in 69 but on unofficial releases only) "Floyd" was extending rather drastically. It is on this base that "RPWL" covers it. A great psychedelic moment, and I wonder if it is not simply the best version of "Cymbaline" I have heard (and I have heard a lot). IMO, it is the best number by far on this album.

"Welcome To The Machine" is a good choice as well in the sense that this song has almost never been played live (I only have one version from 87). So, even on unofficial recordings it is a hard to find item. This "RPWL" version is harder than the original. It has to be regarded as a document.

One of the best song from their own repertoire is "Wasted Land", one of the few stand out tracks from "The World Through My Eyes". Great rendition full of conviction and totally in the good "PT" style. I can't say the same about the mellowish "Crazy Lane" from their debut. Nice melody but childish and previsible. Easy listening music.

We'll get a bit from their second album with the title track "Trying To Kiss The Sun", a good pop-rock song like "PT" has wrote a lot. Another highlight is the long "The World Through My Eyes". A very good psychedelic song during which the band can demonstrate his skills. I like very much the work of the rhythmic section and the guitar solo is of course fantastic.

The other highlight in terms of own repertoire is the great "Hole In The Sky". Played in one piece, it is a great combiation of "PT" with a superb and Gilmour-esque guitar part. Great stuff, indeed.

There is also a studio song on this live album. "New Stars Are Born" is a long and tranquil pysche song. Typical "RPWL" song (except the lenght, well over twelve minutes). Fully derivative but good : starting mellow, exploring space-rock territories, as well as great psychedelia. It was featured as a bonus track on the "Special Edition" of their last studio album and frankly could have replaced several weaker songs. This version is the full blown one. A very pleasant way to close this live (!) album. When "Floyd" meets "PT".

Three stars, thanks to the great covers as well as "Wasted Land" and "Hole".

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