Welcome  to Tales From The Rock n Roll Side- Episode 6- Live In Europe

 Live In Europe as the title suggests is just that. It is the only live album available. It was recorded mostly in Tolouse France on the Excess All Areas Tour. The last third of the album was recorded at Surrey University in 1989 on the Missspent Youth Tour.

I'll review this album in two parts. It is an excellent album capturing an aor band at their peak and getting an excellent response from the fans in Europe.

The first 7 tracks are all off Excess All Areas, and translate live to what sounds like a large crowd enjoying themselves.

You get excellent renditions of Break Down The Walls, Telephone, Talk To Me (could this have been a single?), and Young Heart which is my favourite off this album. The crowd response is excellent and the sound quality is superb. Tony Mills delivering his vocals amazingly clearly.  

The second half of the album was recorded at Surrey University. 5 Tracks including Money, Chained by Desire, Make my Day etc. The sound quality is poor. The concert sounds fine, a smaller but enthusiastic crowd. I try to understand but can't as to why these live tracks were included. For starters there are better songs off Misspent Youth. It's just personal taste but what about Give It All You've Got, Broken Heart (my fave) Love On The Line etc. I am pleased with the inclusion of When You Need Someone which I think could have been a single off the Misspent Youth Album.

Secondly the poor sound quality. I can only thing that they were needed to make the album a normal length. I would much rather heard more Excess All Area tracks from the Tolouse concert or another on the Excess Tour. Once again I can only presume that they weren't available. This album could have been Excess All Areas live! Now that would've been a treat.

However all things weighed up this is still an excellent live cd capturing an aor band in it's prime. I'd give the album (out of 10) 8.

I'd give the first half 9.5 and the second 6.  or Tolouse 9.5 :Surrey 6. if you want it as a football result!

Next stop - Welcome To The Madbouse (94)