Damage: Live

AMG Review of Damage: Live

Kelvin Hayes
All Music Guide

The energies transmitted by the preceding studio set First Day with Fripp meant the time was right for a tour, and this live album came about as a result. The Fripp-produced original was released at the end of '94 as a limited edition, and it may well be your best option as an intro to the pair's work. As with Japan's Oil on Canvas, the set is introduced with the title track (which sounds more like a studio recording) and concluded with the "First Day" (wisely omitted from the studio album). "Wave" and "River Man" are beautifully reinvented, the latter with slide guitar. The 2001 reissue is Sylvian's take on events, and in his over picky meddling he substituted the spell-binding "Darshan" for the cumbersome "Jean the Birdman," which doesn't work as well live. The original is harder to find, but both the disc and artwork are superior in delivery.