Review: Live at the Fillmore East

A review from Music Box of Live at the Fillmore East:

"Of the six tracks on Live at the Fillmore East: March 6 & 7, 1970, only two of the selections — elongated renditions of Down by the River and Cowgirl in the Sand — truly matter, though they also compose the bulk of the set. Within their fiery, tangled refrains, one can hear the seeds being sown that later would take root in the careers of Sonic Youth, Dinosaur, Jr., and Television. On the former tune, Young caused his guitar to bend, twist, and wind its way through Crazy Horse’s chugging blues-baked groove as the ensemble collectively conjured an aural image of the song’s turbulent lyrics. Cowgirl in the Sand was even better. Forsaking a clean tone for one that was laden with distortion, Young’s guitar sliced like a rusty buzz saw, emitting an anguished cry as it cut through the ominous, steady-rolling charge of his backing band. Yet, this was more than just a showcase for his soloing, and the group accentuated the music’s tormented mood by propelling it in a slow but deliberate march toward Young’s whirling, steely blade."

More on the debate over the track listing for The Archives: Live at the Fillmore East and reviews of Live At The Fillmore East.

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