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album review
Patti Smith's catalog has already been remastered. Horses here comes in its originally remastered incarnation with the same bonus track: a cover of the Who's "My Generation." This new, 30th Anniversary Legacy Edition, includes a bonus disc which is a live version of the album -- and the bonus track, recorded in on June 25 in London, England. While this band is looser, not as rehearsed as her original group, they still have plenty to offer. Original members Lenny Kaye, and Jay Dee Daugherty are here along with longtime bassist and pianist Tony Shanahan, guitarist Tom Verlaine (who played on the original album) and Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist Flea, who also plays trumpet. The loose, "what the hell-let's-go-for-it" spirit this band plays with is infectious. Smith is in fine voice, and her swagger is not only intact, but pervasive. Her rapport with Kaye is symbiotic. Each track here roils and brims with wisdom, fire, and spit. "Kimberly" and "Gloria" simply strut with delight and joy. Kaye and Verlaine are loud as hell and push Smith to get out in front, and it feels right. The three-part suite that makes up the nearly 18-minute "Land" is just plain scary. Smith transforms herself into the same hungry, angry Muse that possessed her 30 years ago. Her rage and her willingness to go deep into the fabric of her poetry and the song are awe-inspiring. The live read of "My Generation" means something different than it did 40 years ago when Pete Townshend wrote it. And Smith indicts her generation -- the one Townshend commented on. She yells "My generation, we had dreams, we had dreams man and we f*ckin created George Bush! New generations, rise up, rise up, take to the streets. The world is yours. Change it. Change it." The sheer swirling rock chaos that takes over the band is a fitting end. The only complaint is that while juxtaposing these two recordings side by side makes sense, one does have to wonder if a single disc of the concert might have made more, since fans have already purchased the remastered version. Making them buy it again to get the bonus disc seems just a tad unfair. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
more albums by this artist
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- Easter
- Released 1978
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- Twelve
- Released 2007
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- Land (1975-2002)
- Released 2002
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- Land (1975-2002)
- Released 2002
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