Colin Bass - Live at Polskie Radio 3 - 1999
intro
Delight: "a very intense pleasure of the soul"; this is maybe the most appropriate word to use when trying to define the concert Colin Bass played for Poland from the Radio 3 studio of Warsaw in April 13th of last year, that has just been published. This album does not have a spectacular production, but each instrument sounds in its place without any leading role, and freshness reigns. All the sound mixes were carried out with the music recorded that day. "As far as I can see", for technical problems, was included without any mixing.
review
The musicians are the same ones that had already collaborated in his last studio album (including Dave Stewart), with the help in six songs of Quidam’s bass player: Radek Scholl. Undoubtedly, this people know their job well. Colin noticed it and they have not wasted their opportunity. In general, their work on stage is perfect, although honestly, to me, the keyboards, which had already surprised me for the imagination shown in the studio album, have now excelled all my expectations. As a sample, hear "Macassar" attentively.
It is difficult to highlight any song: "No way back" and "Burning bridges" for their power, "Holding out my hand" for its nostalgia, "Aissa" for the peace it transmits (as if it was an instrumental version of onward), "Goodbye to Albion" for its joy... For me the big surprise has been "Denpasar Moon" with an acoustic version that makes me shiver (try to listen to it at full volume and with the lights out. You will immediately look around the room to see if Colin is there).
conclusion
There are two new songs, both dedicated to the audience: "Trying to get to you" and "Poznan pie" (the most dissonant track. The recording of "An outcast of the islands" was done in the city of Poznan). The band plays some Camel songs: the well-known "Drafted" and "City life" of "Nude", as well as "Refugee", "Cloak and dagger man", of "Stationary Traveller"; "Your love is stranger than mine", "Hymn to her", of "I Can See..." All of them are quite faithful to the originals, although with some original arrangements that make their inclusion in the album really valuable, even more as it is the first time that the two songs from "Stationary" have been recorded alive. Now we should onlyhope this is only the start.