Danny and the Champions of the World - Live Champs!

  by Carl Bookstein

published: 11 / 8 / 2014

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Danny & The Champions of the World’s ‘Live Champs!’ is an inspired Camden concert recording from a hometown show at the Jazz Café. It begins with ‘(Never Stop Building) That Old Space Rocket’, also the opener from last year’s Champions album ‘Stay True’. This is resonant roots rock from the opening notes with front man Danny George Wilson singing about the open road and the great unknown. This is rich organic rock as well as soul calming, about a road trip Danny took from yesteryear, as the singer counsels to never give up on your dreams. With saxophone wailing, the band fully captures live this evocative story song. ‘Cold Cold World’ brings to mind 1950s and 1960s rhythm and blues and early rock and roll, with Danny singing about making his love happy and warm in this cold world. ‘Let’s Grab This With Both Hands’ is a seize the moment statement that brings to mind ‘The Rising’ era Springsteen, counseling not to settle for second best: “Ain’t got time for nothing less.” Danny and ensemble are truly a first rate band and musical unit with great guitar, drums and horns. ‘Colonel & The King’ is a solid rocker and a song about Elvis Presley and his manager Colonel Tom Parker, speaking to Presley’s journey from electricity and flaming stardom to disconnect, with evocative lead guitar and winding, swaying instrumentals. ‘Darlin’ Won’t You Come In from the Cold’ , which is also from ‘Stay True’like the majority of songs on disc one of this two disc set, is an easy ballad with some stinging guitar. “All that glitters is not gold,” Danny sings, offering consolation. A rich soulful nugget with a moving vocal, ‘Stop Thief!’ brings to mind classic R & B and a bit of blue eyed soul. “You’re taking off with my heart,” Danny sings, soon followed by some sweet pedal steel. ‘Other Days’ is a heartfelt number that speaks to runaway days gathering steam, with Danny & The Champions capturing live every ounce of soul they got down on their latest studio recording and then some. With lyrics about moving on and heading down to the coast, ‘Restless Feet’ refers to writer Jack Kerouac and the novel ‘On the Road’ with some fine saxophone forays into free jazz. ]‘These Days’ concludes this fine set and concert recording speaking to dreams and disappointments that burn to the bones, but counsels that things are getting better down the line- a strong ending to a rewarding live album.

Track Listing:-

1 (Never Stop Building) That O
2 Cold Cold World (Live)
3 Let's Grab This With Both Ha
4 Colonel and the King (Live)
5 Darlin' Won't You Come In fr
6 Stop Thief! (Live)
7 Henry the Van (Live)
8 Other Days (Live)
9 Other Days (Live)
10 You Don't Know (My Heart I
11 Restless Feet (Live)
12 Been There Before (Live)
13 These Days (Live)

Band Links:-

http://www.dannyandthechamps.com/
https://www.facebook.com/dannyandthechamps
https://twitter.com/dannythechamp
https://www.facebook.com/loosemusic

Label Links:-

http://loosemusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/loosemusic
https://twitter.com/looseMusic
http://www.last.fm/user/Loose_Music
https://www.youtube.com/loosemusic
https://instagram.com/loose_music/

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