FTD’s latest release is a single CD with left-overs from the February, 1970 engagement.
Design
Although not a classic album, it has that format, so brought to you in a 7” package, with booklet. The CD is attached in a new way, with a kind of rubber button. Let’s see if it’s still there in a couple of years.
The booklet is filled with pictures we know by now. The liner notes are familiar too, for the main part, to the subscribers of The Man And His Music (excerpts from interview with Bob Lanning.
Content
The sound is, not surprisingly, great, as is the content. Let’s take a close look to the individual tracks.
The CD starts somewhere near the end of I Got a Woman, followed by a short version of Long Tall Sally, including the usual firework. A strong version of Let It Be Me is next. As usual Don't Cry Daddy is not too seriously, but the version of I Can't Stop Loving You is powerful. Walk a Mile in my Shoes is a highlight to me, one of the better versions of the song. Sweet Caroline makes you wish Holly Holy had survived. It’s a neat version, too bad he was messing with lyrics. Kentucky Rain is very tight, weird it didn’t end up on the original album. Polk Salad Annie is marvellous, almost sang lazy on some parts, until he swept it up to the end. Proud Mary, Release Me, See See Rider and The Wonder were released in different mixes before.
The bonus exists of extra versions of Don't Cry Daddy (even less serious than the first version) and another steady Kentucky Rain. Love me Tender closes the CD.
Conclusion
No real surprises on this CD, but certainly it is one that will find its way to my player every now and then, unlike a lot of the recent FTD-outings.
A nice cd imo. There are a few pleasant suorises here and there (like the joking on the second daddy version) but, no suorise, we already had the best versions. But for a 2018 release, with almost empty archives, this is really great. The first FTD in a while that i listened to several times in the first two weeks after release. And i had fun every single time.
The mix is the same as on the bonus tracks on the "On Stage Classic" from FTD, the mastering is different, less echo. So I'm sure, that they mixed all the recordings from that engagement (like they did with the JRS recordings) in one mixing session.
You are right AtomicPoweredPoste. A really nice CD with great sound. Thumbs up.
The best of these Feb '70 Vegas gigs was released long ago. I have it. I long ago ceased to be a fan who needed everything. I'm good with what I have. Pass.
If there is nothing new on here then whats the point of it? I'm not dissing it, maybe I missed something. also can someone explain the title - Off On what? what?
cirlcleG : there are 12 (twelve) previously unrealesed tracks and 4 previously released tracks but with a different mix on this silver disc. Nice !
Thanks benny scott. Are these unreleased tracks new discoveries?
circleG, I don't think you could call them 'new discoveries' but rather tracks FTD knew they existed and were released now for the first time. Someone a more accurate explanation ??? Thx in advance !
Newly discovered? No. Like i wrote before, the mix is the same as on the bonus tracks on the "On Stage" ftd. Conclusion: Anesini has mixed the whole stuff from the feb.70 engagement years ago, so they have the material almost ready for release in the archive. Tney have done the same thing with other material, like the jrs recordings. It sounds slightly different, because of different mastering, but the mix is exactly the same. And if they have prepared this years ago, it couldn't be recently discovered. Why do you think of this possibility? As much as i like this cd, you could tell why this versions haven't been released earlier.
