Who would have thought that someday in the 21st century that we would get a new Plimsouls album? 'Beach Town Confidential' was recorded live at the Golden Bear in 1983 and recently discovered hidden away on 24-track tapes in Peter Case's basement. This forgotten show has six songs that were never studio recorded in the Plimsouls career and has finally seen the light of day along with other scorching renditions of their classic hits including "A Million Miles Away".
This live album completely rocks and I feel as if I'm there in the crowd witnessing a musical mania right before my eyes and ears. From the power-pop chorus effected "Shaky City" to a cover of 60s mod band, The Creation's "Making Time", the Plimsouls start off the show on fire. "Zero Hour" could completely rival The Replacements at the time while "Hobo" shows the band's surf instrumental side. "Who's Gonna Break The Ice?" hops along with psych-tinged guitar riffs and classic power-pop vocals, and blazes into full-blown 60s garage pop sounds with "Fall On You".
"Oldest Story In The World" is a nice breather ballad in the middle of the set that features a Peter Case harmonica solo, and "Magic Touch" picks up a notch of bluesy power-pop. The biggest known song, "A Million Miles Away" sounds more explosive and thicker in tone on this recording and actually sounds better than the studio version after a comparison on my iTunes playlist. "Jump Jive And Harmonize" and "Jumpin' In The Night" are self proclaimed "dance songs" with mod-pop shuffles.
"Now" is a great power-pop love anthem that should have seen better success on early 80s radio, while the driving tunes "How Long Will It Take?" and "In This Town" echo the greatness of Case's previous band, The Nerves. The last two songs are cover versions of the Everly Brothers' "Price of Love" and Willie Dixon's "You Can't Judge A Book". This live album showcases a band at their peak and most energetic. You feel as if you are in the audience and perhaps have a walk on part in the movie, Valley Girl, where the Plimsouls are featured at a live club.
Here's what it must have been like at a Plimsouls show as I imagine it in the early 80s:
- Mike C.
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