Fresh off a stint with Queen, Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company, The Firm) launched a sold-out European tour, whose last date, in Glasgow, ended up being Rodgers latest offering. This live album is one of the best recorded live albums I have heard in awhile. Having seen Paul Rodgers as a solo artist, with Queen, and with Bad Company, I can honestly say that this is EXACTLY what a Paul Rodgers concert feels like, no matter who he’s playing with. It’s loud, intense, and high energy from start to finish. If you look up “classic rock” in the encyclopedia, there will be a picture and biography of Rodgers.
Rodgers hits the main points of his career, as expected, on this live album. He sounds particular strong this time around, which I’m guessing stems from the consistent touring with Queen. He may just be at his best this late in his career. While Rodgers stars off the concert showcasing his bluesier numbers (“I’ll be Creepin’,” “Ride a Pony,” etc.) he transitions to the more rock oriented songs smoothly, using a new semi-acoustic track entitled “Warboys (A Prayer For Peace)” as the pivot. After the new song he breaks into songs like “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” “Bad Company,” “Fire and Water,” “All Right Now,” and the poppy but always enjoyable “Can’t Get Enough.”
Overall there are no huge surprises here, just a solid batch of radio-friendly rockers that you know and love, even if you don’t realize it. I guarantee that you know at least five songs on this album, if not more, if you have ever listened to a classic rock radio station for more than an hour. Rodgers looks great (unlike most of his contemporaries), sounds great (unlike most of his contemporaries), and continues to be one of the most important, and at the same time underappreciated, artists in the history of rock and roll. Live in Glasgow is one of 2007’s essential albums if you call yourself a fan of rock and roll.
Key Tracks: “Bad Company,” “Ride on a Pony,” “Can’t Get Enough”
Reviewed by Mark Fisher |
