Description
The Nomads, the best rock n’ roll band ever from Sweden! Their reputation is worldwide known with fans in Europe, USA, and Australia. Something of a secret underground band, I don’t know anyone who’s heard The Nomads who doesn’t instantly fall in love with them, and after their last stunning studio album it’s nice to hear them caught on tape doing what they do best – playing live.
Kicking off with the fantastic single, ‘Miles Away’, from the last album it’s got a good production whilst keeping the live feel which isn’t something all bands capture when recording a live record. With fourteen tracks on offer it would be impossible to please everybody with such a hefty back catalogue but it’s not too shabby as far as sets go. Ghost Highway don’t release rubbish and capturing The Nomads in Madrid is a beautiful thing.
The production is bright and well balanced and by the time they hit ‘Get Out Of My Mind’ they’re really in their stride and as anyone who has seen the band live can testify how good they are in that environment. Great tune follows great tune and by the time you reach ‘Crystal Ball’ the band are really cooking. There’s no time for ballads or drum solos here. ‘I’ve Seen Better’ has the Thunders guitar lick off to a tee as the song motors like a good un.
Live albums are often hit or miss affairs and more often than not for completists which is fine but sometimes, like with Nomads records, the originals are often long deleted and unless you can find one second hand the chances of you hearing some of the tunes is nigh on impossible so I guess a live album might provide service in as much as enabling a new listener the opportunity of hearing a lost gem for the first time.
If you were a late comer and loved the last album but can’t afford the discogs prices for lots of these then this is a great chance as the band delve into the vaults for songs like ‘Where The Wolf Bane Blooms’ and ‘Lowdown Shakin’ Chills’ from the very first record or ‘Don’t Kill The Messenger’ from the ‘Loaded Deluxe’ EP.
Sure, a bunch of the tunes on this record are from ‘Solna’ but ‘Up Tight’ and ‘Big Sound 2000’ are well represented as well as the ‘Hardware’ albums ‘Knowledge Comes With Death’s Release’ from way back in ’87 and it’s testament to the band’s high standards that the songs blend really well from the newer ones to the much older tunes, and the one thing that shines through (apart from how bloody good these songs are) and that’s how the Nomads will kick your backside again and again with a blistering repertoire and a back catalogue that puts much better known band to shame.
The Nomads lead and others follow, that’s how it’s been for a long time and you can look no further than ‘Demolicion!’ for evidence of that fact. Great record, great label, great band – Get It!
