It’s been a busy year in the Whitesnake camp. First off came a live DVD and the accompanying CD (You can read the review here) Then we had the reissues of the first three  albums with bonus tracks, a successful  European tour and now this, the second live release in just over six months.  Live In The Shadow Of The Blues is a double CD that does duplicate many of the tracks on the aforementioned DVD but the CD included in that package only featured ten tracks lets face it how often do you get the chance to sit and watch a whole DVD in peace?   

What Live In The Shadow Of The Blues does offer over and above anything released previously are an additional six live tracks that do not appear on either DVD or CD and, and this is the real icing on the cake, FOUR new studio tracks, the first new Whitesnake songs since the release of the Restless Heart  album back in 1997.  These new tracks are the first  fruits of Coverdale's latest collaboration with his new writing partner Doug Aldrich and much to my surprise three of the four tracks are out and out rockers. The first of the new songs, 'Ready To Rock, I was lucky enough to have heard performed at the Newcastle show on the last tour (review here) and is a big rocker with a riff that just begs to be played live.  Coverdale does sounds somewhat like Robert Plant but that is forgivable when the song is this good. 'If You Want Me' is possibly the best of the new songs varying in mood and pace between heavy riffing and quieter sections that complement each other perfectly - oh and that guitar solo is stunning! 

 In saying that three of the four new songs were rockers, any mathematician out there would be able to calculate that one song was a ballad and 'All I Want Is You' is just the sort of power ballad that allowed Whitesnake to become the darlings of America back in 1987,  baring more than a passing resemblance to 'Here I Go Again'. It is in fact going to be a single and it’s easy to see why as its catchy and humable throughout. Dog though sees the band return to the rockier side of that 1987 album with a song that  could be the wayward son of 'Still Of The Night'. Yet again we see Coverdale heading in the Robert Plant direction but this is another number that just begs to be played live.... 

As for the live tracks, the ones that also appear on the DVD sound clearer and crisper here and are all the better for it. The addition of 'Slide It In' in its slightly reworked version is a must listen, 'Slow An’ Easy' is anything but as the band play the arse off this track, 'Give Me All Your Love Tonight', one of my all time favourite Whitesnake songs sounds excellent live and Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues shows many a young pretender just how to play blues inspired hard rock. Even 'The Deeper The Love' works a lot better than I remember on the from the tour. On the slightly negative side however, and whilst I love 'Don’t Break My Heart Again' as a song, the new intro Coverdale and co have introduced doesn't quite work. Uriah Duffy needs to go back and listen to the original or have a word with Neil Murray,  as the excellent bassline predominant on the studio version appears to be awol here - mores' the pity.

Live In The Shadow Of The Blues may very well be the best Live package of Whitesnake material available. The DVD, whilst looking a million dollars, I think in hindsight has been touched up a bit in the studio and playing the CD from that package back to back with In The Shadow Of The Blues shows this up a tad, the material on this collection sounding more live and, in fact, more alive. However it is the four new tracks that are arguably the most important songs herein, all are excellent and show that there truly is life in the old rocking granddad yet. The live work over the last few years has  built a formidable band and also cemented a new song writing partnership. With a new album on the way one suspects there’s few years in the good ship Whitesnake yet.

Live In The Shadow Of The Blues is released in the UK on November 27th 2006. The day prior to this ARFM DJ Steve Price is running as Whitesnake special on his radio show  6.00pm - 9.00pm  playing tracks from this album and with a very special guest alongside. To tune in you can visit www.arfm.co.uk

Let us know your views on 'Live In The Shadow Of The Blues'

Track List

Bad Boys
Slide It In
Slow An’ Easy
Love Ain’t No Stranger
Judgement Day
Is This Love
Blues For Mylene
Snake Dance
Crying In The Rain
Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City
Fool For Your Loving
Here I Go Again
Still Of The Night
Burn (Stormbringer)
Give Me All Your Love Tonight
Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues
The Deeper The Love
Ready An' Willing
Don't Break My Heart Again
Take Me With You
Ready To Rock
If You Want Me (I’ll Come Running)
All I Want Is You
Dog

Line Up

David Coverdale - Vocals
Doug Aldrich - Guitars
Reb Beach - Guitars
Tommy Aldridge - Drums
Uriah Duffy - Bass
Timothy Drury - Keyboards