Ocean Rain Live on iTunes USA

[Frank The Bunny]

Though the BOF initially reported it wasn't available in the US, here it is:

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZSt ... 2&s=143441

My first impression was that it sounded like "new" Mac trying his hand at karaoke.

Second impression:
The band and the orchestra do not disappoint. The frontman is another story.

At times, he strains hard to hit some notes he used to hit effortlessly. where his voice used to soar, now it sounds like he's in pain. With low notes, he used to have a richness, now it sounds like he's bottoming out.. the notes are flat and off-key... he tries to compensate by doing a Lou Reed speak-sing, but it just doesn't work with these songs, which are supposed to be lush and majestic, especially with the addition of a live orchestra.

[guitarplayer on here too]

And half a dozen people after the Royal Albert Hall gig tried to claim that Mac's voice was back to its best.

I haven't noticed any difference in any gig I have been to or recordings of live perfomances in the last ten years. There have been a few where his vocals were really really bad, really croakey, and some where they were just okay. But none that have been anyway near to pass off to something similar to the vocal range of 80s Mac.

[black francis]

For RAH and Radio City I guessed Mac was at 80-85% of his 80's range and I still stand by it. I felt he was impressive at Radio City. The iTunes OR show sounds like Live in Liverpool with an orchestra and nothing like the NY OR show.

And I have never been down for his spoken word type performances.

Has management commented on anything Mac has done to help his voice?

[Mr. Brian]

And half a dozen people after the Royal Albert Hall gig tried to claim that Mac's voice was back to its best.

I haven't noticed any difference in any gig I have been to or recordings of live perfomances in the last ten years. There have been a few where his vocals were really really bad, really croakey, and some where they were just okay. But none that have been anyway near to pass off to something similar to the vocal range of 80s Mac.

I've heard the bootlegs of all the Ocean Rain shows (NYC, Liverpool and Albert Hall) and attended the NYC show. I don't think anyone was claiming he was back to the glory days but there was a noticeable improvement in Mac's voice from the Siberia tour, at least at the NYC and Albert Hall shows.

[guitarplayer on here too]

Hmm maybe. Mac appears to have good vocal days and off days. The off days are really really off. Maybe the US shows during the Siberia tour coincided with problems with his voice. Royal Albert Hall appeared to be good day, so much so that he appeared to put a bit more effort into his singing. But not to the point that I felt there was some kind of major improvement. I have plenty of bootlegs from 1997-1999 where he seems to be on top form singing some songs and others he sounds pretty ropey.

[alex sobrinho]

link deleted by Admin. See this link for the rules on posts like this

[Frank The Bunny]

http://rapidshare.com....html

Dude... poor form. Though Mac's voice sucks on it, and it's only $5.99, it's still a current commercial release. Let the guys make SOME money off it, right?

[Crystal Days]

This sounds good from Glastonbury

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[tonywojo]

This sounds good from Glastonbury

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/v2XGN1qgKBg&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/v2XGN1qgKBg&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

seems a bit of an echo

but still the best tune ever write

ta cd - whos the mug?

[tonywojo]

This sounds good from Glastonbury

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bsoalt at end

[guitarplayer on here too]

Proof of the pudding that the BBC made a mistake not covering the Bunnymen's Ocean Rain set. Complete with a cramped looking "babes" orchestra that would have provided TV viewers with a bit of eye candy if they weren't into the Bunnymen, while the band put on a perfect performance. Looks like one of the perfomances of the whole weekend. Tut tut.

[withahip]

This sounds good from Glastonbury

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/v2XGN1qgKBg&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/v2XGN1qgKBg&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

I think it looks and sounds very very very good.

[black francis]

It seems Mac has gone back to his pre RAH and NY OR vocals. I think it's probably that he feels cheesy trying to sing like a 20 year old and his more mature vocals are more becoming of a 50 year old. He couldn't lose what he had at the OR shows so quickly.