' early years, up until , are usually perceived as a formative period, primarily of interest to hardcore fans. This double-CD set of live and other radio-related tracks from 1969-70, however, forces the listener to take this era of the group's history on its own terms. The performances and repertory all date from the tail end of the era, and a time when were the only fully functioning unit in England -- one can hear the early incarnation of catching up fast with and company, throwing in influences of their own and generally playing like there was no tomorrow. The fact that the sessions never permitted retakes, and were never intended for commercial release, gave them a raw, spontaneous quality that was missing from the studio equivalents. The drawback is that the singing is sometimes a lot rougher than the group would have preferred -- so for example, is vibrant but a little raw; on the other hand, is practically worth the price of the disc by itself, as the most exciting track here. Disc two features more live performances of the era off of radio, including a completely different but equally impressive version of and more amazing work by . Overall, it's the perfect early companion to , with notes by , the band's co-founder and lead guitarist during this era, that reveal a lot about what the band was like during this era and some of the rivalries and alleged unfairness in the divvying up of credits and revenues. ~ Bruce Eder