Live at Leeds [Deluxe Edition]

Disc 1
1	Heaven and Hell
2	Can't Explain
3	Fortune Teller
4	Tattoo
5	Young Man Blues
6	Substitute
7	Happy Jack
8	I'm a Boy
9	A Quick One (While He's Away)
10	Summertime Blues
11	Shakin' All Over
12	My Generation
13	Magic Bus
Disc 2
1	Overture
2	It's a Boy
3	1921
4	Amazing Journey
5	Sparks
6	Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker)
7	Christmas
8	The Acid Queen
9	Pinball Wizard
10	Do You Think It's Alright?
11	Fiddle About
12	Tommy Can You Hear Me?
13	There's a Doctor
14	Go to the Mirror
15	Miracle Cure
16	Sally Simpson
17	I'm Free
18	Tommy's Holiday Camp
19	We're Not Gonna Take It

Barnes & Noble

When it was first released, some three decades back, the Who's Live at Leeds was hailed as one of the most powerful concert recordings of all time -- and that was on the basis of a mere six songs. As the years have gone by, the original album has been expanded to include the entire set performed on Valentine's Day, 1970, which is presented here in its entirety on Disc 1. The set showcases both the band's pop savvy (via the one-two punch of "Happy Jack" and "Substitute") and its awesome power (via titanic renditions of "Magic Bus" and an extended "My Generation"). The calling card this time around, however, is the second disc, which captures a rare live performance of Tommy in its entirety. While not nearly as burnished as the studio version (or the all-star stagings that have followed), this no-frills run-through wrings every bit of humanity and emotion from the 20 songs. The opening salvo of "Overture" and "It's a Boy" reveal a little bit of rust (or perhaps a slight case of nerves), but by the time Pete Townshend slips into the intricate riffage of "Amazing Journey"/"Sparks," the band is absolutely ablaze. Naturally, the more in-your-face numbers translate best -- both "Pinball Wizard" and "The Acid Queen" are riotous -- but even wry and/or introspective tunes, such as "Fiddle About" and "Sally Simpson," connect solidly. This lavish repackaging is a bit daunting when heard in a single sitting, but you'd be hard pressed to find a classic rock fan willing to stop after just one listen. David Sprague

All Music Guide

This two-disc set should be the final word regarding the Who's February 14, 1970, performance at Leeds University. The main impetus for consumers -- who may have repurchased this title in its various formats -- is having the entire Tommy rock opera intact. While impressive, that performance merely scratches the surface of the multifaceted sonic and visual improvements that exist on the Live at Leeds (Deluxe Edition). The 1995 single-disc restoration of Live at Leeds more than doubled the original six-track album, which consists of all the non-Tommy material performed that evening. This deluxe edition features the Who's entire performance -- albeit in a somewhat truncated form. To accommodate a seamless inclusion of Tommy onto the second disc, "Shakin' All Over," "My Generation," and "Magic Bus" have been taken from their chronologically correct place at the end of the entire show and relocated to the end of the first (read: non-Tommy disc). Even though drastic improvements augmented the 1995 release, time considerations meant that some ambience and stage dialogue between the band and the audience was still missing. With the expansion to a two-CD format, much of the previously edited material has been reinstated to reflect the actual pacing of the show more accurately. This new mix -- supervised by Pete Townshend (guitar/vocal) -- is an all-encompassing stereoscape which has never felt more intimidating. Although no mention is made in the information- and memorabilia-laden 28-page liner-notes booklet, vocalist Roger Daltrey performed several vocal overdubs during Tommy which are unique to this release. Although not impossible to locate, they blend surprisingly well with a recording that is fairly old. Live at Leeds (Deluxe Edition) is a must-own release for any rock & roll collection. Lindsay Planer