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Concrete has, i believe, proved to be a great LIVE album. All the songs were obviously selected for the Orchestral feel & in some cases has given some of the songs a new lease of life.
Here are my views to each song, Orchestrally...
LEFT TO MY OWN DEVICES A power introduction to the album. Eight & a half minutes of pure Orchestral pleasure. Trevor Horn at his best.
RENT Sounds better with the Orchestral touch.
You only tell me you love me when you're drunk To me the best song on the album. I had got tired of the original & Live MTv Unplugged style versions. A few notable note changes & live drums has done no harm to this Country & Western anthem.
TSAGS Sounds even more epic live.
CASSONOVA IN HELL Sung with passion from Rufus. WRight on cue.
AFTER ALL Great song. Great music. Great choice.
FRIENDLY FIRE Frances Barber is a beauty...so is the song.
INTEGRAL Best song on Fundie album, worst song on Concrete. Too weak!!

NUMB Better than the Radio edit. What isn't?
IT'S ALRIGHT Who can take a Rave classic & turn it into something Orchestrally brilliant?
Only two people can.
LUNA PARK Great song on Fundie, even better on Concrete.
NOTHING HAS BEEN PROVED I thought no one could ever sing this any better than beautiful Dusty....I was wrong.
JEALOUSY The way Neil introduces Robbie is not over the top. The Orchestra throughout Jealousy were...thankfully. And we get treated to the extended version.
DREAMING OF THE QUEEN Strange choice of song but fits in quite well. Sounds better than Very.
It'S A SIN What an epic. Best ever version of this without a doubt. The Orchestral bits enhances the song.
INDEFINATE LEAVE TO REMAIN Neil has humour to go with it, "It starts a bit like the Hovis Advert". Should sample that! Proves it has a Single release potential.
WEST END GIRLS It started their career in style...ended CONCRETE in style.

I actually like Integral *better* on Concrete than on Fundamental. On the regular album, Neil's voice has some kind of filter or effect on it, which I don't like. Same with London on Release.

It really is an excellent live album. When I bought it I honestly thought I would probably only listen to it a couple of times, but it is extremely enjoyable. It's really nice that they do a lot of the more intimate songs.

I really like that they play the Liza version of Rent. Sounds great with Neil on it.

I'm just glad they got the live CD out of the way. so its studio material from here on out.

dVTB wrote:I actually like Integral *better* on Concrete than on Fundamental. On the regular album, Neil's voice has some kind of filter or effect on it, which I don't like. Same with London on Release.

ACTUALLY, i don't know what i was thinking, How can an epic like INTEGRAL sound too weak ? I just feel Neil's voice on the LIVE version is too...too un filtery!!!
The music is awsome.
(I was going to edit that fact but i thought it would be interesting to have you lot contradicting the fact)

Stiil can't decide if CD1 or CD2 is best.

On CD1 I love Left to my own devices, Sodom & After All is in a league of it's own, I've loved that song since it came out, I'll listen to it again & again.

But on CD2 I even like Numb I've actually grown to like that song more & more (not the single version ) Love It's Alright, It's a Sin & West End girls.

I'm one of those people that don't like other artists voice's singing PSB songs. I know it's different, but I prefer the Tennant vocal.

me either.I really wanted to hear neil sing casanova in hell. but it was nice getting to hear him on nothing has been proved so its a nice tradeoff I guess.

I hate Frances Barber's voice. Friendly Fire is by far the weakest track on Concrete.

I like coming home late at night to the accompaniment of The Sodom and Gomorrah Show from this concert.
Sound unbelievably superior to album version. Introduction is simply brilliant. Anne Dudley (is it she?) speech is fantastic, I would to replace original barking lead-in with it.
Concrete is awesome.

Drem wrote:Introduction is simply brilliant. Anne Dudley (is it she?) speech is fantastic

It's Frances Barber.

RENT Sounds better with the Orchestral touch.

I really like the "oh what a Cabaret" version they've done here but nothing beats the original for achingly beautiful pop simplicity.

TSAGS Sounds even more epic live.

Considering it was the first time they'd done it live this is excellent. If this (or Integral) had been the first single from Fundamental there'd be no "down the dumper" threads doing the rounds now.

NOTHING HAS BEEN PROVED I thought no one could ever sing this any better than beautiful Dusty....I was wrong.

Sorry, but nobody beats Dusty on vocal. Her version is superior. I love this song but have always cringed at the part when Neil goes "It's a scandal, such a scandal" as if complaining about the price of a cut and blow dry.

FRIENDLY FIRE Frances Barber is a beauty...so is the song.

Amongst Neil's finest lyrics. Frances has a brilliant voice.

! wrote:It's Frances Barber.

Thanks for the answer: this question worried me for so long. One of my friends said that she is Frances. Just curiously that she appeared in concert before Neil proclaimed her turn. That why I thought it's Anne. Did you confirmed it from booklet (sadly, I haven't got my own copy of Concrete as yet, I'll buy it just in next two weeks ) or from concert's reviews? I missed it.
Well, if it's Frances, I'm not be disappointed as well, because she's great in everything.

Drem wrote:

! wrote:It's Frances Barber.

Thanks for the answer: this question worried me for so long. One of my friends said that she is Frances. Just curiously that she appeared in concert before Neil proclaimed her turn. That why I thought it's Anne. Did you confirmed it from booklet (sadly, I haven't got my own copy of Concrete as yet, I'll buy it just in next two weeks ) or from concert's reviews? I missed it.
Well, if it's Frances, I'm not be disappointed as well, because she's great in everything.

You're welcome!

I got it from Literally 30:

Neil asks Frances Barber whether she will help them out with another part of tomorrows show, speaking the introduction to "The Sodom and Gomorrah Show".
She nods, looking relieved. "No, speaking I can do," she says.
"We could do it on computer," Neil says, "but I thought you could do it in your Nurse Ratchett voice".'
"Absolutely," she says. "That's easy".
She wants to check one detail herself.
"I should just dress as me? Not as Billie?"

"No," says Neil. "No," echoes Chris. "As you" says Neil.

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