King's X

Item: Live All Over the Place
Author: Brian A. Smith

Live All Over the Place

(2004)

Reviewed by Brian A. Smith

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Metal Blade RecordsThe Phantom Tollbooth2004

alternative rock hard rock progressive rock

In the twenty-four years that King's X has been together, they have seen all sides of the music business and its peaks and valleys. Signed originally to an unknown label (Megaforce) after years of performing with CCM bands, King's X's blend of Beatle-like harmonies, Rush style musical tour de forces, and Sly & the Family Stone-like funk, quickly resonated with the music intelligentsia. After moving on to Atlantic Records, the band saw some success, with videos for "Black Flag" and "It's Love" all over MTV. Appearances on Headbanger's Ball and various late night talk shows only served to fuel the band's drive, and led to opening slots for Cheap Trick, AC/DC, Pearl Jam, Motley Crue, and several others. Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Collective Soul, as well as a plethora of other bands have cited them as influential. VH1 named them to their Top 100 Hard Rock Artists of All Time, based mostly on the testimony of their peers (Scott Ian of Anthrax and Vernon Reid of Living Colour are ardent admirers).

Now after a slow decline in sales and little publicity over the last ten years, King's X have released the live album their fans have been asking for for years. But it is not the typical live album -- the twenty-tracks have been selected from various tours and venues, leading to the title "Live All Over the Place." As a collector of King's X bootlegs, I know that a majority of these tracks have been culled from the last two or three tours, particularly the entire acoustic set on disc two. Overall, though, the set comes across like a King's X live show, with all glitches left intact, and the raw emotional passion of Doug Pinnick's vocals.

Ty Tabor's guitar work on tracks such as "Visions" and "Cigarettes" show why may feel he is the most underrated guitarist of the last twenty years. Jerry Gaskill (drums) is the most reliable of the trio, never missing a beat, a cymbal, or a vocal lead in. Doug Pinnick (bass) sets the standard for drop-D bass tuning that dominated the grunge and metal scene since the early '90's.

My only complaints with this set are as follows: there is nothing here from the Please Come Home Mr. Bulbous album, lending further credence to fan criticism that Tabor has done very few lead vocals on the last few tours. Also, with the myriad of live King's X shows to choose from, there are certainly better versions of several of these songs available. These are a small price to pay, though, for the brilliance of seeing and hearing this band perform live (as I have done on fifteen occasions).

"We Were Born to be Loved" and "Moanjam," longtime concert standards, round out the second disc, and are as good as any live track by any band I have ever heard. Fan favorites "Dogman," "Summerland," "Goldilox," and "Talk to You" are here as well.

It is difficult to sum up how this band has affected the lives of its fans since the late '80's. Live All Over the Place gives a glimpse of a band that still plays their hearts out, whether in front of 100 people or 5000. And really, what else could you ask for?

4.5 tocks