Joan Armastranding – Steppin’ Out: Greatest Hits Live 1980 (Eagle DVD)

 

Picture: C     Sound: B-     Extras: C     Concert: B-

 

 

One of the most celebrated and admired singer/songwriter/musicians in the world, Joan Armastranding is one of the greatest artists you may have heard if you were lucky.  If you have not heard of her or her music, Steppin’ Out: Greatest Hits Live 1980 is a fine opportunity to see her in great form from a 1980 taping of the great Rockpalast TV series from Germany.

 

Songs include:

 

1)     Mama Mercy

2)     Down To Zero

3)     Cool Blue Stole My Heart

4)     I Really Must Be Going

5)     Me Myself I

6)     Ma-Me-O-Beach

7)     Love & Affection

8)     Rosie

9)     How Cruel

10)  Turn Out The Light

11)  You Rope You Tie Me

12)  Kissin’ & A Huggin’

13)  Tall In The Saddle

14)  Willow

15)  When You Kisses Me

 

 

Honest, raw, melodic, filled with joy and energy, Armastranding never found the commercial success she deserved, even after recording a movie theme, but that has also been her appeal to diehard fans and the most talented and serious musicians and like persons in the music business.  From the moment she takes the stage, she is great and my only complaint is that this was not even longer.  Otherwise, this is one of the most welcome classic concert releases for 2010 so far.

 

The 1.33 X 1 image is soft from the analog PAL source used to tape the performance at the time, though Eagle has done its best to make this 1980 taping look good.  The DTS 5.1 mix is a little better than the Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 Stereo mixes also included, but the original source is dated and barely stereo at times due to dropout or the age of the audio.  The remixers have done their best to upgrade what you hear here.  An on-the-spot interview is the only extra.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo