Thin White Rope - The One That Got Away (1993)

The two-disc One That Got Away presents a 1992 concert by Thin White Rope, performed in Gent, Belgium (the band enjoyed European success more than American, a result of their dark and occasionally campy sound). Most interestingly, the recording's surprisingly high quality reveals that much of the slickness of the band's album work is due not so much to production, but to the band's presentation itself -- as their rhythm section churns through tight rock workouts, guitars lay smooth, atmospheric textures above them in a live format that occasionally recalls Joy Division. In addition to Thin White Rope's material, the set also includes a number of covers (presaging the all-cover Squatter's Rights). Most stunning is a rendition of Can's "Yoo Doo Right," but the discs also include Bob Dylan's "Outlaw Blues," and songs like "Some Velvet Morning," and "Silver Machine."~Nitsuh Abebe