Live in San Francisco 1979

Album review

In 1979, after watching three fine albums go unnoticed thanks to shoddy promotional efforts by his American record label, Graham Parker was finally getting the attention he deserved when his album Squeezing Out Sparks was released to universal critical praise and impressive sales. Parker seemed determined to make up for lost time in the States, and he and his band the Rumour hit the road, playing a run of shows that topped the album for sheer fire and vitriol. Parker and the Rumour played a two-night stand at the Old Waldorf in San Francisco, and local radio station KSAN-FM recorded the second night on April 9 for later broadcast; part of that show appeared on a promotional release called Live Sparks (which in turn was reissued in truncated form as Extended Versions), and now the full performance has been released on the imaginatively titled album Live in San Francisco 1979. While Live Sparks (which combined the KSAN tapes with performances from another show in Chicago) sounded a bit sloppy, Live in San Francisco feels tighter and better focused with the music presented in its original context, and the audio has been improved a bit for this release, sounding clearer and sharper while beefing up Martin Belmont and Brinsley Schwarz's guitar work and Bob Andrews' keyboards. The band sounds a bit flashier than it did in the studio performances for Squeezing Out Sparks, but to a man the musicians charge into these songs with an impressive enthusiasm, and Parker's vocals cut like a switchblade. This release of the full show also includes a number of songs from Parker's earlier albums, and while the material from Sparks still dominates, this release delivers a satisfying sampling of material from Parker's first four studio efforts with some extra sweat and muscle added for good measure. Live in San Francisco 1979 might seem a bit redundant for loyal fans who already own Live Sparks, but this album is inarguably more satisfying and an excellent document of an excellent band at the peak of its powers.
© Mark Deming /TiVo