After having been swept up by Marshall's electronically enhanced music, it was disappointing and disillusioning to hear it in the Muzak format. This is one album that should be passed over for the earlier renditions.

This is a great sampler for new fans, as well as a great addition to your Marshall Crenshaw collection. Super cross section of tunes. I love the talk in between songs, gives you a great sense of "being there." Much better production than other live disc, which is cut up and choppy. If your a fan- you gotta have this.

Did he listen to these tapes before releasing them?

Marshall Crenshaw has an ear like no one else -- for the pop hook, the unforgettable guitar lick, the surprising chord change, the addictive chorus. His brilliant studio albums over the past 20 years haven't received anywhere near the notice they deserve. Nor have there been enough of them -- I guess that explains why so many of us snatch up anything he releases!

However, this one won't get a second listen. (Okay, maybe a second, but no THIRDS!)

The songs are great but pale in comparison to the studio originals. The playing and singing are sloppy and reveal nothing new. The sound and arrangements are surprisingly amateurish coming from someone with such meticulous studio standards (and amazing studio technique!) And shy guy that he is, the onstage patter is limited and predictable.

By all means, support this guy by buying his complete studio catalog - but you can safely skip this one.

Marshall Creshaw is an outstanding musician. As such, he should understand that it is incumbent on the musican to take a few minutes to repurpose/rearrange a song for acoustic presentation. Many of these cleverly crafted electric pop songs just don't translate easily in an unplugged format. They are presented with the same vibe and tempo as they are when Crenshaw is backed by a full band.

This is a good album with a few gems and frankly a must have for Crenshaw fans. However with a little extra work from Crenshaw on the front end, it could have been a truly great album.

This CD gives me the great feeling of hanging out with Marshall and hear him play his favorite songs and covers. It's not perfect, I agree with others that his voice is mixed too "hot" (listening on headphones) and sometimes his guitar playing is sometimes too busy and flashy for the song's own good. But its fun to hear these songs stripped down from the big production and standing on thier own. I wouldnt reccomend this to first time listeners - get the Rhino Best-Of and leave this one to longtime fans.