Audio CD review:
Christine Lavin - Absolutely Live

Christine Lavin - Absolutely Live

Band: Christine Lavin Title: Absolutely Live Rating: Release Date: 11 April, 2000 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Untitled 2: Three Months To Live 3: Untitled 4: Amoeba Hop 5: Untitled 6: Summer Weddings 7: Untitled 8: Add Me To The List 9: The Bitter End 10: Untitled 11: Mistresses' Lament (I'm Mad) 12: Untitled 13: Downtown 14: Untitled 15: Gettin' Used To Leavin' 16: Untitled 17: Doris And Edmund: The Movie 18: Untitled 19: The Air Conditioner Song 20: If I Sould Call You 21: Untitled 22: I've Been Living On Milk And Cookies (Since You've Been Gone)

Customer Review Boy I wish I had been there that night! Nonetheless, it's still a real treat experiencing her live through this nicely re-mastered recording of one of her early performances. I'd have had a wonderful time had I been there, but this was originally recorded in 1981 and unfortunately, I hadn't been introduced to Christine Lavin until some time in the 90's. Put on the headphones, close your eyes and you can pretend you're there too. Be warned - people who laugh helplessly with headphones on look very silly, and laugh you most certainly will. All of the tracks labeled 'Untitled' should instead be called 'Funny As Heck' becuase that's where she shares her self-effacing and goofy but endearing observations about life in NY, on stage and simply being Christine Lavin. If you're new to this artist and are searching for something representative of her body of work, this is an excellent starter CD. Although she is considered to be a Folksinger, her songs bear no resemblance to the campfire sing-a-long songs or wrenching political statements that label brings to mind. Her clever and listenable tunes are a perfict fit for her humourous and sometimes touching observations on the everyday lives of everybody you ever met. That office romance that never was becomes the epic tale "Doris and Edmund: The Movie". A secret yearning for a fling with your friendly neighborhood lothario is revealed in "Add Me To The List" and the desperation of obsessive love is painfully rendered in "The Bitter End". Listening to this CD will be like introducing yourself to the sensitive and wittily observant next-door-neighbor who is soon to become your best and dearest friend. If you're a Lavin Fan you're probably already familiar with most of the songs on this CD, but you shouldn't pass this one by just because you have studio versions somewhere in your collection. Her sweet vocals have a different edge, sometimes punctuated by her own laughter, that give her funny songs an endearing sort of intimate immediacy. True, her tender ballads lose some of their pathos in the live setting but still touch the heart. As for the between song banter, only some of it was familiar to me, most of it was fresh and funny. The production is very good. Re-edited and re-mastered from the original 1981 release, it is crisp, clear and unclutterd. Thankfully, it captures the often delicate nuances of her gentle and character rich soprano without buzzing, snaps or echo. Nicely done. I would rate this CD as an equal with Lavin's 'Attainable Love' for sheer listenability, enjoyability and heart. . . You can see a complete list of all Christine Lavin discography, or go back to the Christine Lavin tabs