Forty (Live)

A pleasant surprise, I bought this for "One of Our Submarines". Anybody who rode submarines back in the eighties is probably a big fan of this one, every boat I ever visited had it on cassette or reel-to-reel.Besides a smokin' live version of "Submarines", the rest of the album was very listenable. A great selection of songs, anybody who thought Dolby is just a studio musician will be shocked how good he is live. In fact, I like every track on this better than the studio version, especially "I Love You Goodbye" & "Hyperactive".

I only wished there were more tracks! I would have loved an updated performance of "Leipzig" or "Cruel" or "Radio Silence", but what you do get is excellent. The live performance is first rate, and, like his more recent Sole Inhabitant work, makes me long for more new music from Mr. Dolby--which he does seem to promise. I, for one, can't wait. In the meantime, if you haven't heard it, check out this album now. It's a first-rate performance from one of the genuine pioneers in digital music.

If you like this you should buy the newest album The Sole Inhabitant a well. Mostly different songs. Fourty has great rare live recordings of Screen Kiss and Hyperactivate which are real highlights. but the thing is, these are both so cheap, get both albums, like I did. You can't go wrong.

It was a genuine thrill to find this album on iTunes; it truly is limited edition, and hard copies are being harder & more expensive to locate. The recording IS exceptional, as another reviewer mentioned. It is near-studio quality, with the crowd mixed at a low but convincing level... you're not going to lose a drop of the music to crowd noise as happens with some live albums. Mr. Dolby's voice at brief moments seems not quite 100%, but that's part of the charm of this album. He may occasionally be straining slightly for a note, but it's never uncomfortable to listen to & actually reminds you that he's creating this art LIVE, in real time. I for one am thankful he didn't overdub the vocals, despite the fact that I bet it bugs him to listen back. :-) Some listeners may not even notice. As I understand, this album was recorded at Thomas's 40th birthday party (hense the name)... I'm thankful he allowed us to join the party! More than a collection of great songs, it's a great experience.

Wow what a treat. This sounds even better that his earlier material which is really over the top. Who recorded this CD! "One of my Submarines" is fantastic! I would reccommend this to anyone looking for a surberb audio experience. A DVD 5.1 or other multi-channel mix would be stunning! I would love to find out where and how this record was made. My only dissapointment is the lack of information and credits for this masterpiece. My kids love it too! Look forward to seeing Mr. Dolby in concert this summer! Buy this CD to experience true audio fidelity bliss. Wow...

I never had the opportunity to see Thomas Dolby live, but this CD gives me, the listener, a glimpse into his stage sound. The music is tight and he sounds as great as he did in the 80's when he released Live Wireless. If you can find a rare copy Live Wireless for sale online, you'll notice the sound is much better on Forty. If you are a Thomas Dolby fan I highly recommend adding this CD to your collection!