Part of the final four releases of Capitol's 2 Beach Boys albums on 1 CD campaign, this set features two very different live albums - 1964's 'Concert' and 1970's 'Live In London' (aka 'Beach Boys '69'). 'Concert' is a tinny recording of a raucous set from Sacramento in 1964, and features the band mixing their own hits with some rock'n'roll standards and contemporary chartbusters.
Their almost garage band live performance is certainly suited to the likes of Chuck Berry's 'Johnny B. Goode' and Bobby Pickett's ludicrous but lovable 'Monster Mash'. But, despite the instruments' rougher edges, when those voices harmonise on 'Fun, Fun, Fun' and 'I Get Around' it's easy to see why America fell in love with them. Having said that, the audience's screaming can makes it something of an ordeal to listen to the album in one sitting.
'Live In London' finds the band in the midst of a creative decline but still able to call on the hits. And what hits - 'Wouldn't It Be Nice', 'Sloop John B.', 'God Only Knows'. Despite their cheesy between song banter and the mild hysteria of the audience, it's an enjoyable enough romp through some of their 60s classics and highlights from 'Wild Honey' ('Aren't You Glad', 'Darlin') and 'Friends' ('Wake The World').
Out-takes of 'Don't Worry Baby' (recorded at the 'Concert' shows) and 'Heroes And Villains' (from a 1967 show in Hawaii, notable for the fact that Brian appeared live for the first time in three years) round off the collection, although they would have been better placed in the middle as a bridge between the eras. Neither album is essential, but in their own way trace the development of The Beach Boys' sound and so are recommended for their historical value if not the performances they contain.
