Not long after Jason Isbell released his first solo album, 2007's Sirens of the Ditch, he released an EP, Live at Twist and Shout, which documented an in-store performance by Isbell and his band the 400 Unit at a Denver, Colorado record shop. Just four years later, Isbell has delivered another live disc, Live from Alabama, a full-length album culled from a pair of August 2012 concerts, and if one wonders why Isbell seems so keen to record his live sets, one listen will tell you why: Isbell and his band are at their best in front of an audience, and Live from Alabama demonstrates Isbell's impressive gifts as a singer, guitarist, songwriter, and frontman. While his work with the Drive-By Truckers was impressive, he's grown tremendously as a singer since striking out on his own, and with a crowd to cheer him on, Isbell delivers the goods on Live from Alabama, sounding richly soulful on "Heart on a String," rueful and evocative on "In a Razor Town," and full of bluesy swagger on "The Blue." If the 400 Unit lack the volume and firepower of the DBTs, the smaller, more dynamic combo leaves more room for dynamics and subtlety, which works well for Isbell's songs (the versions of "Decoration Day" and "Danko/Manuel" here rival those he recorded with the Truckers), and like his vocals, Isbell's guitar work is all the more impressive when it doesn't have to fight for space. As a storyteller, Isbell's tales of dashed hopes and Southern pride are powerful, realistic, and keenly intelligent, and he and the band bring them to life with just the right touch. And the closing cover of Neil Young's "Like a Hurricane" is a barn-burning finale. If you haven't seen Isbell and the 400 Unit on-stage, Live from Alabama will likely convince you to show up the next time they play in your area, and if you already have, this will remind you why you walked home impressed.© Mark Deming /TiVo

Recorded during her Speak Now World Tour in 2011, this live recording collects 16 performances from the country-pop starlet, including all 14 songs from her 2010 studio outing Speak Now, as well as covers of Train's "Drops of Jupiter" and Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes." The DVD/Blu-ray disc that accompanies some editions of World Tour Live: Speak Now features 18 performances, as well as home movies and rehearsal footage for the show, which was an elaborate affair that utilized dancers, aerialists, numerous costume changes, and a mammoth, multi-stage setup that more closely resembled a high-profile Broadway musical than it did a country music concert.© James Christopher Monger /TiVo

Following two studio recordings, this impressive band hit the road and cut this session with keyboardist George Duke. Their encounter provided for an uneven, but infectious, recording. "Hip Pockets," composed by Cobham, and "Ivory Tattoo," composed by Scofield, begin the session with some intense playing. Things get a bit goofy with "Space Lady" (a song which probably worked better live), and a bit melodramatic with "Almustafa the Beloved." "Do What Cha Wanna" features Duke on vocals and, ironically, made it onto Cobham's Best of Billy Cobham. The closer, "Frankenstein Goes to the Disco," is primarily a vehicle for Cobham, while "Sweet Wine" and "Juicy" are good jam sessions. Despite some corny moments, this is a fun session that continues to be one of Cobham's most sought after recordings.© Robert Taylor /TiVo

Paul McCartney's fourth live album in four years (including Tripping the Live Fantastic: The Highlights) is arguably his weakest yet, full of competent but utterly unnecessary versions of Beatles classics and recent McCartney numbers. Really, does anyone need to hear a live version of "Biker Like an Icon"? And after putting out two separate live albums from his previous tour, it smacks of overkill to release this record, which has the exact same band and tone as Tripping the Live Fantastic. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

The Chicks were indeed on top of the world when they launched their supporting tour for their chart-topping 2002 album, Home. As the tour rolled on, they stepped into some controversy, as lead singer Natalie Maines claimed during the buildup to the 2003 Iraq War that the trio was ashamed to be from the same state as President George W. Bush, leading to a prolonged talk radio-fueled media firestorm that hurt their image within country, even as it didn't diminish their sales. Still, it was hard for them to avoid the spotlight, and Maines even seemed to court it as she baited arch nemesis Toby Keith during the Country Music Awards, and it's to their credit that during this hectic year they produced music as good as that captured on the double-disc live souvenir Top of the World Tour: Live. Spanning no less than 22 songs recorded on a variety of dates during the 2003 world tour, the album captures a good cross section of hits and highlights from their Columbia albums, which is also a good representation of their set list for the 2003 tour. While there are no surprises either in song selection or in musical approach (unless a cover of Bob Dylan's "Mississippi" or an appearance from Emmylou Harris counts), and while the performances aren't all that different than the studio sets, it's nevertheless a solid, enjoyable listen that contains all of the Chicks' big songs, thereby revealing both the breadth and depth of their repertoire. And, as an added bonus, there's a nice visual allusion to the turmoil of the previous year in the liner notes -- a nice picture of the trio posed defiantly in front of Freedom Hall. It's a nice added touch to an already winning set.© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

Cream burst into 1968 with "Sunshine of Your Love" climbing its way toward the top of the charts in America, but commercial success couldn't sustain the power trio for long. Within months, the band agreed to go their separate ways, a decision fueled by the constant fighting between bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker, not guitarist Eric Clapton's desire to pursue a quieter musical direction inspired by his newfound love of the Band. Since they had an album in the works and other contractual obligations to fulfill, a swift split was not in the cards, so the trio decided to go out with a bang, mounting a farewell tour that October. Highlights from their show at the Forum in Los Angeles comprised a side and an additional song of Goodbye, a 30-minute LP rushed into stores early in 1969, but other performances were recorded, too. Goodbye Tour Live 1968 -- a handsome box set released in early 2020 -- features four complete concerts: the Los Angeles performance from October 19, a gig performed the next day at San Diego Sports Arena, and a show given two weeks earlier at Oakland Coliseum, plus the final bash at Royal Albert Hall on November 25.The original Goodbye LP merely scratched the surface of the source material. While a few tracks came out on 1972's Live Cream, Vol. 2, this box is the first time full concerts from Cream's peak have gotten an official release, and the results are slightly revelatory. Cream didn't switch their sets up that much -- in Oakland, Ginger Baker's showcase arrives on "Passing the Time," but by L.A., he was back to "Toad" -- and they didn't mess with their arrangements, so their performances wound up being excursions in ferocity, velocity, and virtuosity. Clapton may have become the superstar, but it's Bruce and Baker's rubbery rhythms that continually astound: the tension between the two is palpable, clearly driving the pace and tone of Cream's music. As the shows progress, it's possible to hear Cream gain momentum and it all crests on the valedictory Royal Albert Hall show, which may have threadbare audio but also the wildest performance, culminating with a whiplash run through "Steppin' Out," an old Memphis Slim number Clapton used to play with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. Listening to it, it's clear Cream went out on a peak, but it's also evident that the tensions between the trio were too great for them to regroup for another tour or album. Thankfully, this fine box preserves their glorious farewell, which happens to double as the best document of the band's on-stage prowess and might.© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo