Following his series of solo albums for Columbia,
Roger McGuinn recorded infrequently during the 1990s, so this live bootleg, taped during a 1991 concert broadcast from Electric Ladyland, will have some appeal to his fans. Although the supporting cast of musicians is not identified, it was a Tampa Bay based band called the Headlights, led by Steve Connelly.
McGuinn revisits some older material with success, including "Tiffany Queen" (first recorded for
the Byrds' final LP,
Farther Along),
Bob Dylan's well-known "Mr. Tambourine Man," and
Pete Seeger's famous recasting of Biblical verse ("Turn! Turn! Turn!"), though the finale of "Eight Miles High" lacks the drama of versions he recorded as leader of
the Byrds. Most of the set leans toward newer material, including collaborations with his wife ("Someone to Love," "The Trees Are All Gone," and "Car Phone") and
Tom Petty ("King of the Hill"), though none of this material (especially "Car Phone") compares to
McGuinn's writing from the 1960s and 1970s. The excellent recording quality and good playing make this CD stand far above typical bootlegs, especially the alternate version of this concert put out as
Live from Electric Ladyland, which has lousy sound, mislabels songs, and chops up the performance.
–
Ken Dryden, Rovi