The Live Release Thread - The Gateway Edition
Faith No More - "LIve at Brixton Academy" (1991)
San Francisco alternative metallers Faith No More played a really big role in the teenage lives of both Ben & I. I first became acquainted with their 1989 third album "The Real Thing" when my best mate at high school purchased it off the back of the outstanding "Epic" single & both of us would soon find ourselves indulging in Faith No More's short discography over the coming months. "The Real Thing" would go on to not only maintain its position as my favourite Faith No More release to this day but also to challenge Alice In Chains' superb "Dirt" album for top honors in the field of alternative metal overall. The acquisition of talented front man Mike Patton had proved to be a masterstroke as he clearly gave them the greater level of accessibility they were searching for after struggling to connect with a wider audience due to the inconsistencies of former singer Chuck Mosley. The band's 1985 debut album "We Care A Lot" was a wishy-washy affair that I found myself struggling with but I have to admit to having a significant soft spot for their 1987 sophomore album "Introduce Yourself" which ended up being an acquired taste, buoyed by the arrival of iconic guitarist Jim Martin. The "Live at Brixton Academy" live album was a bit of a strange decision when you consider that Faith No More had only just cemented their classic lineup & broken through in the commercial market but it's perhaps not surprising that their management would be looking to capitalize on their newly found success while they waited for the next proper full-length to eventuate.
"Live at Brixton Academy" is very much a showcase of the strengths of "The Real Thing" as an album with only one of the eight live cuts being taken from the Chuck Mosely records but even then we find Faith No More's early anthem "We Care A Lot" sounding better for the charm & charisma of Patton. The rest of the live material is composed of the stronger cuts from "The Real Thing" as well as versions of the two CD-only tracks in Black Sabbath cover version "War Pigs" & piano rock crooner "Edge of the World". The tracklisting is closed out by two studio B-sides from the recording sessions for "The Real Thing" in Jim Martin's fairly disposable bluegrass instrumental "The Grade" & the very solid alternative metal number "The Cowboy Song" which was a welcome addition that may make the release a touch more worthwhile for those that find a live album of this type to be a little self-indulgent. And let's be honest, it IS a bit self-indulgent to think that a live release was necessary when you plan to draw the bulk of the material from the one studio record.
The elephant in the room here is certainly the production job though as it's fair to say that it's not terribly amazing. In fact, it's not all that far above bootleg quality if we're gonna get serious about it with Martin's guitars being noticeably absent in the mix which isn't the greatest attribute for someone like myself whose prime attraction to Faith No More stems from Martin's contributions. Thankfully though, the material is just so fucking strong that "Live at Brixton Academy" still manages to overcome its technical deficiencies to remind me of just how much I love this band. They really are a collection of super-talented individuals in their elected fields & when they come together creatively they possess the ability to write some of the most enthralling & inspired metal music you'll find. The title track from "The Real Thing" is a prime example of that as it easily overcomes the production issues to cement itself as the highlight of the album which is no mean feat given the challenges put forward by classic songs like "From Out Of Nowhere", "We Care A Lot" & "Zombie Eaters". The imperious "Epic" & the ever-popular "Falling To Pieces" aren't quite as effective as some of the deeper cuts to be honest but that's really a reflection of the quality on offer more than anything else.
The previously mentioned "The Grade" is the only creative misstep on "Live at Brixton Academy" which represents somewhat of a flexing of Faith No More's muscles as a formidable musical force although I do have to question the decision to close out the live set with "Edge of the World" which was never one of the band's stronger works & allows the energy levels to drop a bit. I'm not gonna lie & tell you that the production issues don't bother me because they do but they don't stop me from becoming emotionally involved with the music either. How much of this is due to nostalgia is difficult to pinpoint but that's not really important because a rating should be a reflection of one's personal connection with a release & there's very little doubt that I connect with this one. Perhaps "Live at Brixton Academy" is not an essential release for every member of The Gateway but it is one for me & I can't deny the buzz that these ol' bangers still provide me with.
4/5