Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
A very poor album...., 24 Aug 2004
Usually I find it very difficult to find something to criticize when it comes to Cliff Richard. It's like everything he touch turns to gold, and if someone can present a cover-version of a song it's Cliff. And when it comes to concerts he can get away with almost everything and people, including myself, love the songs anyway. But this time I have to criticize Cliffs live-album, because as it is released with only 14 tracks and at the same time released as a live-album, I'd rather wish it wasn't released at all, simply because it really doesn't give a fair picture of the live concert, and many of the songs seems added totally randomly, and really good songs like "She's a Gipsy" and lots of others are missing here. Instead there are the old songs like Move It and the Elvis songs etc. Songs we have heard a billion times. Well, they are good songs when they are performed live at a concert, but you really then have to be there yourself. I like the old songs, but they do not even come close to the new stuff Cliff has made over the years. Just like a good wine Cliff has become better and better, and that's because he has developed his type of songs. Everything after 1975 I would accept, and he has been able to develop these songs in many ways. Of great breakthroughs I can mention his album from 1982 "Now You See me" and the thunder comeback in 1987 with "Always Guaranteed". After this success it was "Stronger" where he in my opinion had one of his greatest hit after "Some People", and that was "The Best of Me". Therefore I was surprised that the fans were eager to hear the more or less boring song from Neil Diamond, although Cliff could give it some life and actually made it sound good. I was at the concert and I loved it, but I was very very disappointed of the way it was planned with all the goodies first and all the old stuff at the second half. In the good old days Cliff mixed it, but he always performed most of the new material through the entire concert, and then it didn't matter at all that he ran some golden oldies 3-4 times. Anyway back to the live album. 14 songs, where most of them wasn't news at all, is too bad. Instead he should release an album more like he did with "The Event" but with all the songs, cause then people could chose whether they want to hear the old stuff or the new songs. I don't think this 14 tracks album is worth the money unless you just have to have everything with Cliff. In all fairness there's a few good songs on this album like "Strangers" and "Born To Rock'n Roll", but I do think it's sad that Cliff and/or the producers couldn't get more out of a world tour than this mini-live CD. Cliff is so much better than that. Personally I can't recommend it, and I cannot imagine that Cliff Richard is satisfied with it neither. A good advice would be to take it out of the market and release the World Tour with all the tracks.
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3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Concert of Dreams, 21 April 2004
I was lucky enough to be at Cliff's spellbinding, dazzling World Tour, on12th November 2002 at the London Docklands Arena. It was the concert ofdreams. I've been wishing for a live album ever since, but why now? Whynot in October, at the same time as the DVD or even before? And why only14 tracks???? You can't pick highlights of something that was only onelong highlight.
But you won't easily find a live CD to match this.Cliff's voice is one of the most beautiful, rich and versatile voices ofall time, and is backed by world-class, fabulous musicians, including themesmerizing (very underrated) guitarist John Clark.
This concert deservedly received an overwhelmingly positive response fromfans. It differed from previous recent Cliff concerts in that it wasalmost completely dedicated to the classic rock n roll that Cliff fell inlove with before bursting into it in 1958. The concert is funkier,sultrier, more sparkling, more energy packed. Cliff and his band payhomage to the evolution of rock n roll. The album opens with "We Don'tTalk Anymore"- soulful and sensual as ever - with vibrant guitar. "MoveIt", Cliff's 1958 first ever hit is next (one of the great rock n rollsongs) and this version, superbly produced, is storming, ripping, boppyand funky - one of the best ever versions.
The tour was initially intended to promote Cliff's then current album"Wanted", a covers' album featuring great songs Cliff wished had been his,and here follow two of these: "Like Strangers" and "All Shook Up", bothfantastic, much better than the studio versions with beautiful mellifluousvocals and a much better instrumental mix. Cliff slows the pace a littlenow to pay tribute to one of his best friends, Olivia Newton John, with agorgeous, mellow, romantic version of "I Honestly Love You". Then comeclassic 80s Cliff pop gems "Some People" and "Dreamin'" beautiful songs,and the honey-drenched soul of the Cliff ballad voice.
"Born To Rock n Roll" from Cliff's stage musical "Time" is smouldering andsexy; with a brilliant fantasy mix; this'll blow your mind. The rock nroll blisters on as Cliff dedicates two songs to his idol Elvis "TooMuch/Don't Be Cruel". This works a treat as Cliff does them completelydifferent from Elvis: high and slinky. Straight into Chuck Berry's "NoParticular Place To Go" with crunchy vocals with real bite...then into a DooWop medley that shows off Cliff's creamy croon voice that just melts you,and also makes you wanna dance and sway. Into Jerry Lee Lewis' "Whole LotaShakin Goin' On"...love how he holds that sexy growl...very smoky and soulful.The Neil Diamond song "Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon" was one of the mostrequested songs voted by fans online and though you wouldn't supposeanyone match the original, this probably does; it's very funky, veryupbeat, with stunning voice and arrangement. The Everly Brothers'"Claudette" will melt you at the end of the CD, no-one can sing smoochyharmonies like him
If you're a Cliff fan you'll love this of course. But Cliff isunfortunately a very underrated and misrepresented artist and if you'reunder the impression that his music is bland and predictable, try thislive album and it will blow you away (and your doubts about Cliff'stalent.)
It's a shame so much fantastic stuff had to be missed out though, such asthe soulful "She's A Gypsy", the brilliant hits he had with the Shadows,and his amazing version of Gene Vincent's "Be Bop A Lula". Sigh!
ButI'm seeing him live again twice this year (RAH and Leeds Castle) Happy me!
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3 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
An Album That Should've Been A 2004 Smash Hit!, 9 April 2004
The World Tour saw Sir Cliff Richard play to a huge proportion of fans from all the loyal Cliff fan bases around the world. The concert which does stick out in every fans mind is the open air concert in Napier, New Zealand.Cliff was accompanied as usual by his tremendous rock band lead by Mr John Clark on Lead Guitar. There was an album decided for release in order to give fans a flavour of the concert. April 5th 2004 saw the release of The World Tour Live. Back in 1991 Cliff gave us his last concert smash From A Distance- The Event which went double platinum in 1991 and gave us a real taster from his marvellous concerts at Wembley arena. To try and emulate success here is wrong, because The World Tour Live does not offer the listener a good selection of Cliff Richard music. OK so you have the traditional Move It ( with 2nd verse), We Don't Talk Anymore and Some People, but it should've offered more of the Wanted tracks which were played during the tour. Apart from the update version of Move It, Born to Rock n Roll is the only other track to stand out. Cliff does a couple of medlies using Elvis tracks and light numbers from the other artists during the 1950s/60s. These are only, but are concert only tracks. This album is a weak album, by the quality we have come to expect from Sir Cliff Richard and fans should not be upset or disheartened if the UK album chart doesn't see this album perform well. It just hadn't been thought through properly and does not contain the same qualities of The Event from 1991. It is a weaker album than his smash of 2003 Cliff At Christmas and I think that his new studio album for release later on this year will put him back into the UK top ten and leave this album behind. The Video/DVD was a little gem and gave us all our own back stage pass into Cliff's World Tour. Why couldn't've this album have provided the same experience?
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~ Cliff Richard
~ Cliff Richard
~ Cliff Richard
~ Cliff Richard
~ Cliff Richard
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