MU330 is sort of an anomaly, for me at least. I am not one to usually champion live CDs of any kind. A band has to have paid some *serious* dues to earn one. The best ones come posthumously, as a sort of living tribute [see the Smoking Popes live disc for proof]. But lately, it seems like every band thinks they have achieved the right to put out a live CD, and frankly, the market is getting flooded, especially in independant music. I'm personally blaming Pearl Jam for encouraging their fans' gluttony, but regardless. In the past year, I can think of the following bands that have put out live CDs: Braid, Smoking Popes, Dance Hall Crashers, The Slackers, Blink-182, Sunny Day Real Estate, Jawbreaker, Apples In Stereo, Built To Spill, The Clash, the list goes on and on [and I'm sure there are more waiting in the wings]. Most of those releases seem to exist for no notable purpose except to bolster sales of their back catalogue or to get something out there to make a few more dollars. MU330 are certainly an exception to this rule. Since their inception in 1988, they have played over 1300 shows and are still going strong, even after a few lineup changes. They are dedicated to their craft, if nothing else, and this is a good souvenir of the first 13 years for the band and fans alike. The breakdown of songs is as follows:
Press - 2
Chumps On Parade - 5
Crab Rangoon - 7
Self-Titled - 4
Comp/7" tracks - 0
So while MU330 Does still play their older material for the fans, it is obvious they enjoy their newer material for themselves, as well, making this live CD being something that will please almost anybody. This CD makes me regret my decision last year to sell "Press" and "Crab Rangoon," as this stuff actually isn't half bad, and I am not normally one to go wild over ska nowadays. If you've ever been a fan of MU330, you'll need to own this. If you've only heard a few songs, this is a veritable "Greatest Hits" package complete with crowd interaction, so you can't go wrong there. Let's see if MU330 can make it 1300 more shows... [taken from A different kind of greatness webzine]