LIVE

After getting all Anyone´s Daughter studio albums I was quite curious about hearing them live, since my PA colleague Ken Levine regarded them as a band that plays better in front of an audience. And I must say he is right. Although I wouldn´t call Live a masterpiece, there is no denying that the performance here is quite more powerful than their studio counterparts. It is always good to find a bunch of musicians who actually do their best and need no recording trickery to show how fine musicians they are and how special their chemistry works. This CD is clearly the case.

Ok, some people would say their repertoire is not exactly their finest, since it is focused primerily on Anyone´s Daughter last album, the more commercial leaned, Neue Sterne. But since I liked that record (it is still prog enough to convince me) it´s alright. Besides, their sound was always towards the lighter side of the progressive rock scene (some say it actually open the road for the upcoming neo prog movement). And they never let the quality factor down. Some tracks are specially strong like the live renditions of Moria and Der Plan, real outstanding. I was a bit disapointed that only the first part of Adonis is present, It would be great to have it all since its version here is also better then the famous studio track.

The presence of three unreleased tracks are a bonus and adds a lot to the overall effect of the album. The down side of the tracklist is the inclusion of a drum solo (under the name of Peterchens Mondfahrt). Drum solos are ok during the shows: you have time to go to the bar to get a bear and relax a little before goind back to watch the rest of the show. The inclusion of such display of self indulgency in place of a ´real ´ song (specially when so many AD fine tunes could be here) is unforgiving. 5 minutes and 41 seconds of lost time. The album ends with an excellent, 11 minute, version of the track Anyone´s Daughter.

Live is a real treat for fans of the band. And a good starting point for the ones who still don´t know this rather underrated classic german outfit. An excellent live document that would deserve a five star rating if they had included a complete version of Adonis and dropped the useless drum solo track. As it is, 4,5 stars.