Best Of Live

To my knowledge, this is the Doobies earliest live album, surprising for such a concert-oriented band. The trouble is that they should have recorded it 10 to 15 years earlier, when the band was at its peak. There is just too much grey hair, tired rhythms and worn-out vocal cords. But while time has clearly taken its toll of Mike McDonalds voice, Tom Johnstons has held up remarkably well. Another high spot on the album is Pat Simmons Slat Key Soquel Rag, now bizarrely called Slack Key Soquel Rag. The tone of Simmons guitar is gorgeous. But isnt that an uncredited flute in the background? And surely thats a violin playing on Black Water? Although a number of extra musicians are credited on the CD sleeve, the violin and flute dont get a mention. Its good to hear McDonald and Johnston playing on the same podium, but a slight shame that the band couldnt persuade drummer John Hartman away from the veterinary surgery and guitarist Skunk Baxter away from the production desk for a night. Sounds like it was a good concert.

The vocals are good on most songs but there are a couple of songs that are rough, like Minute by Minute. The guys are a little old for hitting some of the notes, I guess. I admire them for not covering it up in a studio by punching in some overdubs like most artists do. The best part of the album are the musicians. They are tight and blend well together. Theres plenty of space in the songs for the musicians to just jam. This is not an essentials album, though it does have best of in the title. There are some great Doobie Bros songs absent from the album. If youre a true blooded Doobie fan, download your favorites from each studio album and make your own essentials album. This is easier than ever with digital downloads.

Great original Dobbie Brother hits- mostly without Michel McDonald - yeah!!

When Tom Johnston dropped out of the band for health reasons in the mid-70s and Michael McDonald signed on, Simmons and McDonald divided the vocals for the Johnston tunes between them. McDonalds Eyes Of Silver wowed me. His Long Train Running sent chills down my spine. Even though Tom Johnston has written most of my favorite Doobie songs and while his voice is the signature sound of the Doobies to me, sad to say, I hear his weaknesses rather than his strengths when he sings Long Train Running now. Until I hear McDonalds version of Long Train Running and Eyes Of Silver on a cd (I know at least two such concerts were recorded) - and I figure thats somewhere in the neighborhood of NO CHANCE - live Doobie recordings will continue to disappoint me. My biggest complaint with current offerings including this one is - for the most part - the renditions could be alternate studio takes. About the only difference is some of the early classics never had the benefit of a virtuoso guitarist on the original recordings. This cd has some high points but it also has some weak choices with the inclusion of obviously tired Johnston and McDonald vocals in places. Were there no better versions?