Live at Hammersmith Palais: April 1st 2007

AMG Review of Live at Hammersmith Palais: April 1st 2007

Dave Thompson
All Music Guide

The world has never wanted for live Fall albums, but recent years have seen them appearing almost monthly, either reissuing ancient outings that were most familiar on bootlegs or limited editions, or first-time rounds for more contemporary concerts, to prove that the modern band is just as gripping as its classic predecessors ever were. This set, divided between a straightforward audio disc and a scintillating DVD counterpart, features Mark E. Smith and co. whipping through a dozen numbers, including the seething opener "Senior Twilight Stock Replacer," a tumultuous "Over! Over," "Theme from Sparta FA," and a positively evil "White Lightning." Zappa's "Hungry Freaks, Daddy," meanwhile, reminds us just how far ahead of its time the first Mothers LP was, because it doesn't sound remotely out of place alongside the very latest and greatest of the Fall's own output.