The John Butler Trio are one of the most popular bands in their native Australia. They are a talented rhythm and blues set-up and this, their 7th album, was recorded live at Colorado’s Red Rocks venue.
It's high quality double album (including DVD of some of the concert) and a bright and punchy sound.
As with all double live albums there's some misses here, the beginning of Zebra involves almost a minute of audience participation that doesn't really transfer well unless you were one of the 8000 in the audience.
Good Excuse is a 17 minute toe-tapping bass guitar driven production that seems to encompass everything that John Butler says the group is about; dancehall, roots & rock.
Overall this is a first-rate album, it's balanced set demonstrating the trio's musical abilities, though many of the songs have an edge, a message, an opinion. Their first single 'One Way Road', which topped the Australian charts in 2009 is a rich, bass laden political commentary on revolution, a recurring theme in the trio's songs.
The crowds favourite, and arguably their most successful single Funky Tonight begins with a Riverdance style baroque-influenced traditional Irish reel which is soon fused with their trademark rock 'n' roll and R & B sound. Like the rest of the album it's a mixed bag of sounds, always interesting, always uplifting. It's become the preferred album in my car while snagged in the daily commute.
Gary Baker
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