Full House Live

Unfortunately the rhythm section can't quite match the grooves that "real" blues bands lay down, mainly because many of the songs are sped up, an unfortunate choice which causes them to loose what swing the studio renditions used to have.
Also, a rhythm guitar to lay the foundation beneath Jay Geils' soloing would have been nice, and the J. Geils Band can't really pull off John Lee Hooker's "Serves You Right To Suffer", which trails off into improvisations and unravels slightly after a few minutes.
But most of the album is quite good, with "Hard Driving Man", "Cruisin' For A Love", and "Looking For A Love" beging the highlights. Peter Wolf doesn't always make much sense, though, and should be quiet when he's not singing.

This disc will interest serious fans of the J. Geils Band, but anyone new to the band would be better off with their first two studio albums.
Three stars...a bit disappointing.


Classic Live Album   July 28, 2003
Bryan Carey (Houston, TX)
The J. Geils Band was one of those musical acts that acheived its following primarily through its incredible live performances. Fans looked forward to the band's new CD's, yes, but they looked forward even more to the opportunity to see them live, in concert. This CD, recorded live at the Cinderella Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan, was the band's first live recording and it embodies everything that the group was known for- incredible musicianship, a dedication to blues, and an all- out performance in front of a live audience.

Many standouts exist on this live CD. Starting with "First I Look at the Purse", the band opens strong, singing and performing fast and with a level of enthusiasm that brings down the house. The fun continues all the way to the end with "Looking for a Love", a cover of an old R&B tune that the band plays fast and furious, to the point where you wonder if they made it out of the ballroom in one piece.

The majority of the songs here are played with an upbeat tempo, but there are a couple that are a little more mellow; namely, "Homework" and "Serves you Right to Suffer". But don't let this fool you- the songs might be a little slower in tempo, but they are still played with passion!

This is one of the few live CD's I've ever heard where every song sounds better performed live than it did in the studio. The band had only released 2 other CD's prior to this one, so they had a limited database of songs to access to make a live recording. But each and every song on "Full House" eclipses the studio versions, a tribute to the band's legacy as one of the best groups to see in concert.

This CD is an incredible collection of tunes, played with intensity and craftsmanship. Whether it's Seth Justman pounding out the keyboards in "Pack Fair and Square", Magic Dick assaulting the harmonica in "Whammer Jammer", or the other band members contributing in their own unique way, "Full House" is a CD that is sure to please. It's an all- out effort of partying and rocking good times, from the J. Geils Band!


Skimpy, But Still A Classic   April 9, 2003
jekyllnhyde (NJ)
I always thought of this one as the definitive J. Geils album, but after hearing BLOW YOUR FACE OUT, I'd have to go with that one. This set barely clocks in at a shade over 30 minutes (I would have liked to see an expanded edition on CD), while the other is more than twice as long, & for the same price. Also, here the band concentrates on the Chicago blues approach, while BYFO has more of a variety, delving into R&B and Soul, as well as blues. Both are essential, considering that this is the ultimate live rock'n'roll band, & both are a good buy. A solid 4 1/2 stars.