Jean Michel Jarre: Hong Kong

The French electronic musician Jean Michel Jarre, who rose to fame in the 1970's following his releases of Oxygene, reviewed here, and Equinoxe, reviewed here, among his performance credits owns the title of the first western musician to be allowed to perform in the People's Republic of China. Later in his career, during March 1994, Jarre performed in Hong Kong, subsequently releasing a live album documenting the performance.

Jean Michel Jarre: Hong Kong

The 1994 tour celebrated the recent release of Jarre's 'Chronologie' album. Unsurprisingly therefore, five of the eighteen tracks on the album are from the 'Chronologie' release, with 'Chronologie Part 2' being the first musical track on the album after 'Countdown' which records the audience and a countdown to the show's opening. The album is commendable for its warm sound and highly exciting feel musically, quickly seen from the start.

Later in the album comes 'Souvenir De Chine' and 'Oxygene 4,' which are both to be expected among a typical performance from the artist. One of the interesting curios of the album is 'Digisequencer' which is not found on any studio album by Jarre. The performance of 'Les Chantes Magnetiques Part 2' which features on this album is also of merit, showing Jarre's exuberance quite audibly.

Unfortunately, this album has neglected to receive critical acclaim, a great shame considering that this is one of Jarre's finest live albums that captures very well the excitement of a live electronica performance from the comfort of your living room.  

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Soulwax: Part Of The Weekend Never Dies

In 2006, Soulwax, the electronic music duo from Belgium, released a rockumentary and accompanying live album of their 2006 'Part Of The Weekend Never Dies' tour. The live CD comprises of material from various previous releases in their own unique dance-punk style.

Soulwax: Part Of The Weekend Never Dies

The album begins with 'Teachers,' an uptempo homage to the duo's spiritual fathers, quoting names such as Van Halen among their other influences. The track begins with a gradual accelerando, once the tempo is reached however, the pace remains throughout the entire album. This track is followed by 'Move My Body,' which also begins with a brief excerpt of 'Theme From Discotheque' which was released under the alias of Soulwax, Samantha Fu. Throughout the album, the pair sample numerous works produced both by Soulwax and other aliases, as well as other established acts.

Later in the album come 'E-Talking' and 'Another Excuse,' both of which fans will know from earlier Soulwax releases. This live performance of both tracks injects even more energy into the the tracks than was seen in the original releases, likening them even more stylistically to the French duo Justice.

It is this reviewer's belief that anyone who has seen the duo perform live, either as Soulwax or their 2ManyDJs counterpart, will testify that their live performances remain largely unparalleled in terms of energy. This release presents a highly exciting series of performances which show off the duo's material at its finest. While the CD/DVD set is no replacement for being at a live gig, the music on this release serves as a great example of the duo's exuberance during a live set.

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Depeche Mode: Tour Of The Universe

'Tour Of The Universe' is a live album/DVD release recorded during synth pop group Depeche Mode's most recent tour in 2009. While the tour was largely supporting the group's 12th studio release, 'Sounds Of The Universe,' the set list contains material which goes back as far as the group's 1986 'Black Celebration' album.

Among the credits to the album is its chart performance, in fact going platinum in Germany and becoming the first live album to top the German music charts in a period of two years. The album also exhibits the group's praiseworthy musicianship, a notable virtue given the band's 31 years in the industry.

The album begins with 'In Chains,' 'Wrong' and 'Hole To Feed,' all from the group's 'Sounds Of The Universe' album, before revisiting tracks from their wide and varied musical past. Among the highlights of the album are 'Enjoy The Silence' and 'Personal Jesus,' in addition to several of the band's classic played toward the finale of the set. The band's energy sustains a listener's interest through the 2 hour long album and indeed the new arrangements to their older material allow Depeche Mode to showcase their formidable talent.

The album is clearly crafted with great precision to sustain their audience's attention, seen particularly in the juxtopposition between the energy of 'Personal Jesus' and sobering finale of 'Waiting For The Night.' While the audio CDs' are mixed with loving care, the DVD performance certainly adds even more to this fantastic live album.

For the review of the band's 1990 release 'Violator,' from which several tracks in the set list are taken, including 'Personal Jesus' and 'Waiting For The Night,' click here.

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