Guster on Ice - Live From Portland, Maine [PA] [CD & DVD] by Guster (CD, May-2004, Reprise)

Guster has in the last two years leaped into my favorite current band - especially live. If you've ever seen a Guster concert (and you should!) you will immediately fall in love with them. The music is raw and powerful - lots of acoustic guitar and sounds and plenty of big drum and bongo beats. The lyrics are simple yet powerful. Guster has for years been hugely popular among college populations and stations - but their music (like Demons and the Airport Song) are hitting it big time and onto MTV. Their shows are sold out and they play with the like of Howie Day (who I actually dislike) and other acoustic rockers. Excellent album - my personal favorite of the last 3 years!!

1. Careful
2. Happier
3. Red Oyster Cult
4. Ramona
5. Barrel Of A Gun
6. Flowers, (Nothing But)
7. Come Downstairs And Say Hello
8. Demons
9. Amsterdam
10. I Spy
11. Airport Song
12. Homecoming King
13. Fa Fa

From the album notes - excellent remarks: Guster's energetic live shows and loyal fan base have been widely chronicled, so an album recorded in the group's natural on-stage habitat is an especially welcome addition to their catalog. GUSTER ON ICE: LIVE FROM PORTLAND, MAINE is about as close as one could get to being at the concert, and showcases Guster's cheerful acoustic guitar- and vocal harmony-driven sound amid tons of giddy crowd noise. Sometimes sounding like a less-melancholy Toad the Wet Sprocket, the group charges through a selection of its best-known songs ("Amsterdam," "Red Oyster Cult," "Fa Fa") with unbridled enthusiasm, inviting the adoring crowd to share in the fun. As the track list draws from all of Guster's previous releases, GUSTER ON ICE could serve equally well as a fan memento or "best of"-style introduction.

Being a Guster fan, this was a CD that I have never seen or heard of. I was very happy with the purchase. First, it was a live CD which was something I didnt have in my collection amd it included a DVD of the show. The seler was excellent and shipped the item VERY quickly. Overall, a very enjoyable and stress free purchase.

This CD captures the experience of seeing Guster live in concert. They're an energetic band that gives so much more when performing in front of a crowd. If someone is looking for a sampler of their hits this is a great choice.