BuzzFlash Reviews

BUZZFLASH REVIEWS

Just released. A great historical set of 2 CDs and a DVD.

From a CNN article on the release of this set:

"It was a rock album conceived by accident that no one knew would succeed, even though it was made by Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty.

And it was a rock album that disappeared, along with its successor, for a decade despite the fame it achieved.

Now the two volumes of "The Traveling Wilburys" are being reissued thanks to efforts made by Harrison's widow Olivia, bringing back to public notice what had started as a kind of fantasy camp for rock stars.

Old friends Harrison, Dylan, Orbison, Petty and Lynne bumped into each other in Los Angeles two decades ago, and ended up in a home recording studio where they sat around a microphone singing and playing guitar."


Online reviewer:

The two Traveling Wilbury albums that George Harrison cut with his friends are finally back in print. The first album is worth five stars. With a combination of Harrison, Lynne, Dylan, Petty, Orbison and honorary Wilbury Jim Keltner on drums how could it not be? "Volume 1" is a great album that hasn't aged for me at all. The two bonus tracks on disc one "Maxine" and "Like a Ship" are both terrific and would have fit well on the album. The album has been remastered louder than the previous editions of the albums released.

The second album "Volume 3" missed Orbison but is almost as good as the first album. Definitely worth four stars in my book, Dylan is a bit more center stage on this one although all the Wilbury's still share lead vocals on a number of tracks. The two bonus tracks here have been released one on the "Nobody's Child" benefit album the other as the b-side of a single. The first "Nobody's Child" a cover of a 50's tune and the second a cover of Del Shannon's classic "Runaway" add to the album although they aren't quite as spectacular as "Maxine". "Volume 3" had two great singles the rocking "She's My Baby" and "Wilbury Twist" and while it still sounds terrific it doesn't quite have the off-hand vibe that made the first album perfect. It's still a terrific follow up.

The DVD has a documentary with interviews of the band and plenty of behind-the-scenes footage of the recording of the album as well as some clips from the first couple of singles. It also includes all five videos for the two albums. It's a pity we won't see this quintet or quartet recording any more as they did a pair of terrific albums. The DVD by the way is multi-region according to my box. The package also includes a booklet with comments from former Warner head Mo Ostin discussing how the group came to be as well as the full credits for each album, photos and the contents of the booklets for the original CD releases.

Another online reviewer:

The Traveling Wilburys combines the groups only 2 records released from 1988 and 1991, and the return of a long lost era after a decade long search for these gems that have been out of print in the record stores. The collection contain 2 great albums, their 1988 selftitled album ans their surprisingly awkward second album titled Volume 3, as well as a DVD which captures this groups longtime era as well as some of their best videos. The albums have also been restored beautifully, and bring a classic instinction that sounds better than ever. The collection includes great forgotten classics like their Top 10 classic Handle With Care, the upbeat and down to Earth End Of The Line, and Wilbury Twist. The collection also includes never before released tracks including the somber Maxine, and classic surf music influenced Runaway.


BUZZFLASH REVIEWS