Chris Isaak-Live InAustralia

Thu 11th Dec, 2008 in Music Reviews

At 52, Chris Isaak has written a number of very catchy pop/rock songs. Wicked Game, Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing, Dancin’ and San Francisco Days are all included here on this live offering. The band is slick, Chris is in good voice and all is well with the world the night this was recorded in Australia. Chris is also now an honorary Australian and was just back on our shores to promote this CD and get in some surfing and publicity. He loves this sunburnt country.

For this listener I still go back to Silvertone (Isaak’s first release in 1985) for what became the blueprint of what he has done on practically every album in the last 23 years. He has a marvelous voice and can play some guitar, but this CD recorded in Melbourne, the band do most of the playing while Chris sings and jokes with the audience. Having seen him on this tour, I was entertained and I swayed along, but the performance and the jokes seemed a bit too staged.

Joined by long time drummer (since his second album) Kenny Dale Johnson and some other band members who have been with him over a decade, Chris Isaak Live In Australia is a nice souvenier for anyone who attended these gigs or for anyone who really missed seeing them. But all in all, if you have the studio versions of these songs, there is no pressing need for you to seek this collection out. Stick to the studio takes as they are crisper, sharper and there is no crowd noise. Still if you are a huge fan and must have it, you will have 17 more tracks to add to your Isaak pile and a bit of humorous banter.

Chris Isaak has now moved to Universal and will be releasing a new studio album in 2009. With his largest fan base here in Australia and a tour here in March 2009, we are bound to be seeing and hearing quite a bit of him in the upcoming months.