Rating:

One of the big selling points of EyeWitness books is their beautiful hand-drawn maps. Usually these cover interesting neighborhoods, parks, etc. In the Norway book, they use the same system to cover vast regions of the country. Since the advantage of these maps in the other books is the detail, the idea breaks down in such a large scale where they actually end up with less detail (only main roads and towns appear). The illustrating is filled in with uninspiring clip art of animals and rural life, and the maps are nearly useless aside from a general overview.

The beautiful full-color photographs are still there, which admittedly do help us choose and get excited about some of the things we choose to see. And these also make the books a great gift or souvenir. A few sights like the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim do lend themselves to EyeWitness’s trademark cut-away visual illustration, but the number of these is very small.

We’ve owned this book for over a year, and I’ve been reluctant to write a review until I’ve given it a fair shot. We’ve now traveled to quite a few places in Norway, and we found that in all but Oslo and Bergen this book was virtually useless. Oslo and Bergen have enough museums to flesh out the city listings, but the big draw in the rest of the country is the nature and scenery. The important information is less about exhibits and opening hours, and more about how to get around and where to find the most scenic vantage points.

While I’ve yet to find a truly great guidebook for Norway, we have had better luck with Lonely Planet Norway. In most cases, we’ve carried both, and even when something interesting appears in the EyeWitness, we counted on the town maps in Lonely Planet to get us there.

Rating:

This book was almost completely uselss. The Oslo section only covers with any detail the immediate downtown section. The maps for greater Oslo are horrible. The tram and bus information is wrong.

Of couse my largest gripe is my own fault. I knew one skinny book would leave way to much out.

One area the book got right, an area that every single other ETG has gotten wrong, was the food area. Handing the book around to Norwegians on the train brought more than a few, “Yes, that is what I normally eat.”

Rating:

As noted in other reviews, the sound quality is not perfect. On brief occasions there is some distortion, mostly due to overdriven mics. And there are a few changes in volume that are noticeable. But frankly, this is just me being overly critical for your benefit. In general, and considering the era in which this was recorded, the sound is well done. One of the key elements of the Stax/Volt sound is the wonderful bass lines, and Donald “Duck” Dunn’s bass comes through strong and warm.

The video quality is about what you’d expect from 1967. There are a few glitches, but no major issues. If you remember watching B&W television in the late 60′s, it may actually be nostalgic. However you will come to loathe the moments during Sam & Dave’s “Soothe Me”, when the camerapeople decide to show off their new zoom lenses. Luckily the motion-sickness inducing camera work only lasts about 25-30 seconds. Don’t worry, just close your eyes at about 39:45 and let the music carry you away for 30 seconds.

And the music will carry you away. The show is perfectly paced, starting off with the instrumental groups and concluding with a scorching performance by Otis Redding. Booker T. & the MGs (Booker T. Jones on organ, Steve “the Colonel” Cropper on guitar, Donald “Duck” Dunn on bass, and the incomparable Al Jackson, Jr. on drums) start off the show, and are then joined by the horn section (Wayne Jackson on trumpet, Andrew Love and Joe Arnold on tenor sax) to form the Mar-Keys. This ensemble then serves as the band for the rest of the show. Arthur Conley jumps in with a level of energy that most modern performers would be hard-pressed to match, and the show just builds from there. Eddie Floyd keeps the pressure on, and almost starts a riot when he goes into the audience. Security is provided by what appears to be a branch of the Norwegian military, who intervene when the crowd comes to the front of the stage. This happens more than once during the show, but the reaction is rather tame from what I’ve heard about the audiences in Great Britain and France. And Eddie Floyd does a good job of diffusing any tension. He asks all the “soldiers on the front line” to turn around and clap their hands, doing his best to invite everyone into the musical celebration. Things settle down for a moment, but then come Sam & Dave. This is an electrifying performance by Sam Moore and Dave Prater, not to be missed. I know James Brown was the hardest working man in show business, but Sam Moore would definitely give him a run for his money. During the performance of “When Something Is Wrong With My Baby”, Sam is literally vibrating with the energy and emotion he puts into his vocal.

Sam & Dave leave it all on the stage in this performance, and it seems impossible to top. Of course, one should never doubt Otis Redding. And he definitely does not disappoint. Using “Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)” as a sing-along, he draws in all of the audience. And they are his from that moment on. By the time he finishes with “Try A Little Tenderness”, the audience is rapt. Just witness the young blonde woman in the front row, in some kind of hand-clapping, head-shaking frenzy. A few “mini-encores” from Otis, a final push to the front of the stage by the audience and the evening is over, all too soon.

To put things into perspective, I have only one thing to say. If this music and these performances don’t move you, I have some bad news… You’re dead. Check your pulse, because there is something seriously wrong.

There are a few extras on this disc. The interviews with Steve Cropper, Jim Stewart, Sam Moore and Wayne Jackson give some interesting insights into what the band members were feeling at the time, and Jim’s futile attempts at trying to control the tempo of Otis’ set. The alternative take of “Green Onions” is wonderful, showing the impressive skills of Al Jackson if nothing else.

Special note to musicians: I originally picked up this DVD with the hopes of copping some of Steve Cropper’s guitar playing. This can be done in some instances. But there is a better view of Donald Dunn. I started as a bass player, and I’m in awe of Dunn’s work, here and in other instances. I can’t find a single note that he missed in the entire 75 minutes. During the Booker T. & the MGs’ songs, it is also possible to work out Booker T.’s organ playing. But once the first two songs are over, Booker T. is mostly off camera or in the distance. Musicians should definitely check out this DVD, for inspiration if nothing else.

However, if I were a drummer, I’m not sure I would want to see this. Why? Because Al Jackson’s performance will make you weep, it’s that good. Not only are his phenomenal skills as a drummer in evidence, this DVD also demonstrates his skill as a showman. Not necessarily in his drumming style; he keeps it cool, effortless and smooth as always. His skill as a showman shines through in the way he changes accents and beats, knowing exactly how and when to excite the audience and take things to the next level by doubling the tempo, etc. Not to mention he’s always “in the pocket”. And if you want to see incredible drumming technique, just watch the alternative take of “Green Onions”.

Rating:

It is an interesting historical document of an important moment in pop music history. Musically, though, I have to say that the singles themselves are more compelling. The chief problem here is the fact that the musicians believed that everything needed to be played faster live. They even talk about this in the interviews. They wanted to give it an extra kick, stir up the audience almost to a frenzy, if possible. They certainly do deliver energized, frenetic performances. But, faster is not always better. In almost every song here, they deprive the music of the space it needs to breathe. Artistically, the evening was more or less a failure. The magic you can hear on the Stax records is just not present here. At least to my ears.

This is still recommended for big fans of Stax/Volt, but they probably don’t need my help to realize that. Otherwise, check out the original records first. They are superb.

Rating:

The Norway Eyewitness Travel Guide includes maps, photographs, diagrams, and a variety of other graphics, in addition to narrative, to describe Norway as a travel experience. The introduction provides a sense of Norway in terms of its geography, people, and history. Breakdowns follow by region which include the principal attractions. Especially useful are the maps and diagrams of some of the most popular locations, such as the Vigeland Sculpture Park and the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo. Other sections cover how to get to Norway and how to get around within what is a surprisingly large country. The guide includes information on accomodations, a shopping guide, and basic survival facts for the traveler. As always, the inclusion of a wealth of photographs provides a sense of place and scale for Norway, and will help the traveler make some choices in what to see and do.

This guide is highly recommended to the traveler planning a vacation in Norway. Some careful study will help ensure a wonderful vacation in a beautiful country.

Rating:

1 Red Beans and Rice Booker T. & the MG’s

2 Green Onions Booker T. & the MG’s

3 Philly Dog Mar Keys

4 Grab This Thing Mar Keys

5 Last Night Mar Keys

6 In the Midnight Hour Arthur Conley

7 Sweet Soul Music Arthur Conley

8 Raise Your Hand Eddie Floyd

9 You Don’t Know Like I Know Sam & Dave

10 Soothe Me Sam & Dave

11 When Something Is Wrong with My Baby Sam & Dave

12 Hold On! I’m Comin’ Sam & Dave

13 Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song) Otis Redding

14 My Girl Otis Redding

15 Shake Otis Redding

16 Satisfaction Otis Redding

17 Try a Little Tenderness Otis Redding