Livin' in New Orleans

My opinion on KT is that it does capture this raw energy of playing a fresh batch of songs from AGIB, before playing them over and over and gaining night to night comfortability... However I honestly don't think the way the songs are played is that different from four years ago, so you aren't listening to that different of a band. And yes, ALTWYS from KT ranks among the best. I love the Ashes one, but this version is so piercing and was more meaningful then... It might just be the sound from the different recordings, but it is so piercing, raw, and shrill in the best way..

Yeah he did, but I was just responding to your post

I would seriously look into the soundboard recordings of the three St. Louis shows... equal and even better at times than 9:30... By the way, I can't decide which version of ALTWYS I like better: Ashes or KT... both awesome

As do I, but a soundboard recording is pretty darn official...I mean minus the band having it for download on the webstite... it is exactly the sound that was made on stage, basically a show that mixed itself. Like I said, there are some that I feel sound better than the 930 club recording that Wilco gave out...I don't think they sound as good as KT because they weren't mixed again and all, but the setlists are a lot better, and you get a complete show

The DVD version of Ashes is the best that I have ever heard... I just think the idea and the image of them playing to an empty Cain's ballroom is very eerie and beautiful. The guitar solo, for me, sums up what the DVD is about.. it captures the essence of the fading Americana

I completely understand your opinions... I for one enjoy Nels' solo playing on Jeff's older songs, but then again, I didn't listen to much of the pre-Nels live tracks. And yeah, soundboard recordings are free, and they are just as good, if not better than official releases. (ie 930 club show that the band gave out)

Say Whaaaaaaaaaat?!

That's the one.. and it is the second night of those shows.. The sound is good, but no KT. There are many soundboard recordings just like the 9:30 club show that are just as good and better. You guys should check out the webcast versions of the Pageant shows on Owl and Bear. Soundboard quality with awesome setlists.

Agreed..although I LOVE the version of the Late Greats from the "Ashes" DVD.. I am very biased towards NOLA though... however, BEST version of Spiders I have heard

I gotta say... the AGIB material is extremely good... even after hearing the band play it after 4 or 5 years... something about them playing it fresh off the album release made it so good

With all of the live recordings available, and the Ashes audio tracks, the 930 club show and such, how does Kicking Television hold up?

I put in Kicking Television today, after a long time of listening to various taped shows, the DVD tracks, and that 9:30 Club show that the band gave out, and I realized how great the renditions of the Ghost songs were on KT.... I mean... wow

Not necessary of course, but it would be a cool musical experiment.. I mean i'm sure a ton of that goes on in the loft and in private.. but a record like that would be pretty cool. I know they do similar things already, but I am talking each individual writing their own song and then bringing it to the others... I don't know, sometimes I wish I could play more instruments than I can hahahaha

My friend and I were talking, and we were thinking this: An album in which each member of the band writes their own song for the record, depending on their musical style and tastes and primary instruments. (Jeff would sing of course.) There would be at least six of these songs unique to the individual band members. I think this would be cool, especially considering the collaboration that they enjoyed so much in New Zealand. I picture Nels writing an avant garde guitar song, with playing that reflects his personal tastes...and so on... just a thought.

"The Pencil" it must be called that....

I don't mean like a live album or downloadable tracks from a DVD... I mean like a bonus EP or something with a few live songs, as they did with AGIB and SBS Also, what are the odds of a new Loose Fur record... I mean Jim O'Rourke is coming out with a new record, so he is not off the map by any means

One could only hope....

it is a reissue...I don't know if that would translate to the CD even if it was a re-issue considering CD copies of these records are pretty available

There is of course always this period between records, and we have seen a few things happen during these times (Kicking Television, Ashes Of American Flags, etc.) I was wondering what you all thought might happen... I, for one, would love an official release of some of the new songs live...that doesn't seem too out of this world

Interesting. I agree here... Great songs put on an album, with the potential laid out to reach their full awesomeness live

I love this song... I even like the studio version, but live is where this song is the best... I think that the version on Kicking Television is the best i've ever heard

I do have that...very nice indeed. but the studio version's intro, with the first acoustic guitar part is just beautiful to me

Awesome. Totally awesome... I can't decide which is my favorite: Nels' black one with the red skull and crossbones, or John's with the nautical stuff

Bull Black Nova was awesome

ALTWYS: Both... I love the studio version because it is all Jeff playing some brilliant guitar, and I just think about how he composed that solo and this period of Jeff playing lead guitar and improving. However, it is AWESOME live just because of how epic it is... Hell Is Chrome: Studio Spiders: Live, hands down Muzzle Of Bees: Studio, just because I feel that the intro is much prettier on the studio album. It seems meant for the studio. Hummingbird: Studio, because of the violins. Also, I love Jeff's stage antics during this song, but the focus isn't completely on the song when it is