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The London Sessions
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Barnes and Noble
The London Sessions
Current price: $37.99
Barnes and Noble
The London Sessions
Current price: $37.99
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In the midst of their 2010 world tour,
stopped off at
to record their live set. Utilizing a full band with skills honed to a fine point by the road, the resulting album is incredibly focused and powerful. Both the band and frontman
are at the top of their considerable games as they motor through what could almost be a "greatest hits of
" set (minus a few choice tracks like
and
). Highlights are rambunctious charges though
the lovely
-inspired
a forcefully funky take on
and a stuttering
Since
creates
's records mostly by himself, it's very interesting (and impressive) to hear how the band takes the precise studio sound of the albums and makes it come alive. Everything that makes
so impressive is captured on
and then some. The propulsive beats of the locked-in rhythm section of
on bass and
on drums, the complex and funky interplay of the guitarists (
), and the keyboard manipulations of
(on what looks like enough vintage electronics to launch an early Apollo rocket) are equal to the studio albums. The group vocals that back
, both chanted and sung in doo wop harmonies, are quite different than the usual
approach and help to humanize the sound even more than usual. When you put
's unusually elastic and inspired vocals, which range from insistent to hilarious, on top of the band's sound, you've got the 2000s equivalent of
when they expanded the group and became a huge force of oddball funk. It's a more intense and synthesized version, and
is no
(since he's more likely to be in a dirty T-shirt than a big suit), but this wouldn't work half as well if he were. His hopped-up hipster everyman with a bruised heart style is perfect for the band's small-club intensity, and the album leaps out of the speakers with an intense power that makes it more than just a commemoration of their 2010 tour; it's a vital addition to their already near-perfect catalog. It's also more proof that
just might be the best band of the decade. ~ Tim Sendra