WINGER - Live

Posted: 04/21/08

Reviewed by: Dirt

Category: Hard Rock

Released: 01/15/08

Label URL: www.shrapnelrecords.com

Artist URL: www.wingertheband.com

1/2

Of the hard rock bands from the 80s, Winger probably gets the least respect. You can thank Mike Judd's treatment of them on Beavis and Butthead for that and maybe the beefcake shots Kip posed for back in the day too.  Ironically, Winger is probably one of the most musically talented bands from that era.  Don't let a crotch-rock song like "Seventeen" fool you, these guys have the chops that most bands wish they had.

I caught Winger on their first reunion tour several years ago, way before IV had seen the light of day.  I walked away shaking my head at how great they were and how not enough people were aware of the fact.

Live is a double cd featuring a total of 19 tracks that finds the band in great form and a production that captures their fullness.  All the hits are here - "Seventeen," "Madalaine," "Headed For A Heartbreak," "Miles Away," "Can't Get Enough," and "Easy Come Easy Go."  Only "Hungry" from the 1988 self-titled debut is absent.  The band also delivers new songs from their IV release, tracks from their critically acclaimed Pull album, and deep album cuts such as "Loosen Up," "Rainbow In The Rose" and "You Are The Saint, I Am The Sinner" from I990's In The Heart Of The Young.  The debut is ignored, except for the obvious tracks.

Many of the tracks present extended, improvisational jams, which really shows how awesome Winger is as a unit and why they should have had a longer time in the spotlight.  The jams are not self-indulgent.  They fit perfectly within the songs structures and are really the reason why this is one awesome live album.  The acoustic encores of "Who's The One" and "Miles Away" show the beauty of Kip's voice.

The Bloody Truth:  I almost died laughing when Kip sang the lyric "She's only thirty-five" during one of the choruses of "Seventeen."  I always wondered if it was weird for the band to keep playing this song now that they're all mid-aged guys, so I guess this is Kip's way of poking a bit of fun at the song.  Overall, this is just a fantastic live offering (I'm only shaving a bit off the score due to the band not playing something obscure from the debut).  Kip's voice is still great, unlike so many guys from the same era.  Of course the harmony vocals are key ingredient to the band's sound and they sound amazing as well (and hey, they aren't samples - so that's a plus!!!)  What more can I say, if you're fan - you must support this release.  If you're a fan of the era...do the same.  If you like catchy music and talented musicians...and never heard the band...now's the time.