Legacy's 'Set List' Series - Live 'Best Ofs' and more

SonyBMG's Legacy Division recently released these budget-price concert anthology collections, "Setlist: The Very Best of" drawn from various live recordings by each artist.  The very best doesn't always apply in terms of songs, but each one offers some choice bits that aren't obvious. And that's good.  Here's the lowdown:


Cheap Trick
You'll find "Surrender," "I Want You to Want Me" and "Downed" from the Complete Budokan, along with lesser-known tunes such as "Ballad of T.V. Violence" and a live rendition of the B-side "I Know What I Want." It's capped by a raging "The House is Rockin' (With Domestic Problems)" one of the band's best album tracks, ever.




Willie Nelson
You not only get classic Willie here like "Funny How Time Slips Away," and "Crazy," but also one of his versions of "Good Hearted Woman" (we miss ya much, Waylon), "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,"  "Night Life," "Georgia on My Mind." The closer?  "On the Road Again." What else were you expecting.  

Johnny Cash
Bet this one was hard to choose for. So there's "Folsom Prison Blues" to kick things off in a 14-track run that also offers "Man in Black," "That Silver Haired Daddy Of Mine" and medley of "Darlin' Companion/If I Were A Carpenter/Jackson" with June Carter and also "I Got a Woman" with the Mr. and Mrs., too. The non-hit wonderful stuff includes "What Is Truth" and "Belshazzar" and it's a triple-shot end run of "A Boy Named Sue," "I Walk the Line" and "Big River." One of the best in this series. 



Jefferson Airplane
This one does play out like a best-of live, most tracks from the Filmore in San Francisco, mid-to-late '60s and cleaned up nicely: "Somebody To Love," "White Rabbit," and the under-appreciated "It's Not Secret." Other stand-outs include "Plastic Fantastic Lover" (a band today would slay for such a songtitle), the haunting "Good Shepherd," spirited "Volunteers" and a lovely 
"The Ballad Of You & Me & Pooneil."


Ted Nugent

Mister subtle, Ted the bow-hunter, tears it up with "Just What The Doctor Ordered," "Free For All" and of course, "Cat Scratch Fever." He also delivers the ever-charming "Wang Dang Sweet Poontang" and a blazing cover of "Baby, Please Don't Go "

REO Speedwagon
The band was all over the pop charts and radio in the '80s and the tracks are culled from different live recordings during that decade.  There's the staggered Bo Diddley-ish beat of "Don't Let Him Go, " Say You Love Me Or Say Goodnight," "Time For Me To Fly," and REO's best anthem-like tune, "Roll With The Changes. The ballad that launched thousands of prom slow dances during the era is here, too - "Keep On Loving You" along with "Can't Fight This Feeling" and get this - a cover of "Johnny B. Goode." The group doesn't quite pull that one off, but at least the boys give it a shot.

Kansas
It's mostly heartland prog-rock here, which means extended pieces such as "Lonely Street" the the closing a bit-too-much "Magnum Opus."  Along the way, you'll also get "Dust in the Wind" and "Carry On Wayward Son," along with "Cheyenne Anthm," "Down the Road" and "Play the Game Tonight." No "Point of No Return," though. 

Judas Priest

The biggest omission on this one is no live version of the thunder-crunching "Livin' After Midnight." Otherwise, it's an okay concert sampler that includes "Riding On The Wind," "Heading Out To The Highway" and a buzzsaw "Breaking The Law." The coolest numbers are "The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown" and "Beyond The Realms Of Death" (sounds like Marvel Comics, doesn't it?). The capper here?  Why, "You've Got Another Thing Comin'."

Quiet Riot
The hits on this one really do count the most, especially live takes of Quiet Riot's Slade covers that put 'em on the map, "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" and "Cum On Feel the Noize."  Also, "Slick Black Cadillac and the anthem that made it to Top 40, "Bang Your Head (Metal Health). Plus, another Slade tune, "Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet"

Alabama
People forgot how huge Alabama was, not just in country, but in pop crossover in the early 80s.  Most of the live material on this set comes from that era, especially shows Florence, AL with songs such as "Tennessee River," the hoedown-styled "Mountain Music." Among the pop-washed numbers are "Feels So Right" "Lady Down On Love" and "Love In The First Degree." The set wraps up with the trucker anthem, "Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)"; bet some drivers today have that one on their iPods.