Anytime a live album kicks off with a 15 minute song, you know that the record is for devotees, not for casual fans, and that's certainly the case with the Why Store's Live At Midnight. Spanning two discs and 19 songs, the album is so generous that it's hard for anyone that's not already a fan to listen to the entire thing. If they do, they might find the long stretches of jamming to be a little tedious, or they may think that the songs tend to blend together -- but that's all typical of the Why Store and their concerts and ...
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Anytime a live album kicks off with a 15 minute song, you know that the record is for devotees, not for casual fans, and that's certainly the case with the Why Store's Live At Midnight. Spanning two discs and 19 songs, the album is so generous that it's hard for anyone that's not already a fan to listen to the entire thing. If they do, they might find the long stretches of jamming to be a little tedious, or they may think that the songs tend to blend together -- but that's all typical of the Why Store and their concerts and their records. Fans are accustomed to these characteristics and can find the idiosnycracies and subtlties that distinguish the songs and performances. At the very least, Live at Midnight has forceful performances, finding the band laying back and following their whims. It may make it impenetrable for casual listeners, but these extended improvisations are why the record is worthwhile for fans. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
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