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Widespread Panic: Choice Cuts- The Capricorn Years
 Like Phish, The Grateful Dead and a host of other so-called "jam bands," Widespread Panic has grown a reputation for notoriously inspired live shows. Along the way it's released several studio albums that occasionally hint at the power that takes place on the stage but never quite captures the spontaneity and insanity. This collection reminds us of that via 14 tracks that range from amusing (the understated opening "Travelin' Light," the funky "Weight Of The
World") to mere Allman Brothers retreads ("Chilly Water," "Ain't Life Grand") and fairly inspired stabs at capturing the full Widespread magic ("Rebirtha,"
"Aunt Avis"). Unsurprisingly, it's the closing live reading of "Pigeons" that stands as the album's best, proof positive that one needs only to hear Light Fuse Get Away to fully appreciate WP. Um, how come there's no "Hope In A Hopeless World" here?
Track Listing
1. Travelin' Light
2. Chilly Water
3. Love Tractor
4. Weight Of The World
5. Papa's Home
6. Ain't Life Grand
7. Blackout Blues
8. Rebirtha
9. Aunt Avis
10. Blue Indian
11. Climb To Safety
12. Surprise Valley
13. Pickin' Up The Pieces
14. Pigeons
Added: July 3rd 2007
Reviewer: Jedd Beaudoin
Score: 
Related Link: Legacy Recordings
Hits: 2163
Language: english
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Widespread Panic: Choice Cuts- The Capricorn Years
Posted by Pete Pardo, SoT Staff Writer on 2007-07-03 09:31:21
My Score: 
Widespread Panic has always been one of the more solid of the many jam-bands, and they've had a long career that has seen them bridge the gap between the San Francisco psyschedelic scene and full blown Southern Rock. Choice Cuts- The Capricorn Years culls some of the band's best tunes from their studio albums spanning the years 1991-1999. Songs like "Blackout Blues" and "Ain't Life Grand" have a certain Marshall Tucker Band meets the Allman Brothers Band feel to it, with lively piano and slide guitar excursions, and you can't help but love the catchy, breezy melodies and tight instrumentation on pieces like "Travellin' Light", "Chilly Water", and "Climb to Safety". When the band stretches out a bit, as they do on "Rebirtha", "Surprise Valley" or the live version of "Pigeons", they really shine, as they rip into plenty of extended guitar jams that will please fans of Phish, The Grateful Dead, Little Feat, The Allman Brothers Band, Govt. Mule, and The Marshall Tucker Band.
In all honesty, this is an enjoyable collection for those new to the band, but Widespread Panic are best appreciated in a live setting, so do yourself a favor and also pick up a copy of their stellar live offering Light Fuse, Get Away, which really shows them in their element.
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