Live At The Googolplex (Picture Disc)

Excellent quality live recording with good selection of tracks, not one weak track included, as expected from Clutch. Top quality musicians and lyrics , not as well known in the U.K. as they should be . Highly recommended.

A+ Wicked sound

As a big Clutch fan, I own all of their studio albums and have just started collecting their live ones. There isn't that much really and as far I can tell, this is their first one and I roughly guess it was released some time after the release of their studio album 'Pure Rock Fury' judging by the set list and certainly before 'Blast Tyrant.' The album is very good and features some rarely performed and even more rarely recorded Clutch gems such as 'Sea Of Destruction' and 'Brazenhead' as well as more from their hardcore period 'Impetus,' 'El Jefe' etc. The sound quality isn't the greatest, but the strength of the songs shine through as does the band's performance which keeps the performance interesting with some random jams here and there. Neil Fallon's vocal performance on 'Careful With That Mic...' is quite astonishing and almost makes it sound like a different song altogether, but in a good way. As enjoyable as this album it doesn't quite match the fan made 'Live in Flint' which you can only find on the band's own website / merch shop new and in CD format, but is a great sample of a hard rock band doing what they do best, live!

Live At The Googolplex was the first full live album released by the sensational, genre defying rock band Clutch. If you have reached the point where you wish to buy a live record then you should already be aware of the band's live reputation and of their astonishing musicianship, vocals and lyrics. This particular live album was recorded in 2002 and released in 2003, with the songs taken from various different concerts, on separate dates at different locations as opposed to one complete concert from beginning to end. Compared to two out of the three live albums which would follow; Live At The Googolplex is only a single disc album of fifteen tracks, recorded in the wake of Pure Rock Fury's release and as a consequence has the least expansive track listing of any Clutch live album on the market. Luckily, the album still manages to feature tracks that aren't on any other live effort from the band, such as the rare 'Sea Of Destruction,' and the early track 'El Jeffe,' which sounds more like the band's modern material when played live than it did on record, as well as material from the Pure Rock Fury album which isn't as supported live as most other Clutch releases, from which tracks grace this live album including 'Brazenhead,' 'Immortal,' and the rap-metal track 'Careful With That Mic...' which features a jammed out ending making it fit in more with the rest of the material. In terms of sound and performance both are satisfactory and the album overall is a loose and fun feeling snapshot of the band at this point in their career. The band have better sounding live albums and live albums with better performances available, so you may wish to choose one of those over this one. This fact however does not truly take away from Live At The Googolplex which is a good record in and of itself when you remove the comparisons. If you are a serious Clutch fan then you will find Live At The Googolplex worth your time, it is a good live album with a fair few unique tracks among their live albums. If however, you are choosing your first Clutch album or even first Clutch live album, it may be better to try something a bit more expansive and representative of the band as a whole, such as 'Live In Flint Michigan,' or the 'Full Fathom Five,' DVD version.

Clutch are a band that play by their own rules, which becomes clear when you listen to this, their first ever live release. This is no overdubbed, overpackaged, major label live album. This is a postcard from rock'n'roll's very edge; raw, primeval, ethereal and damn compelling. The band capture the very essence of heavy music and sound completely involved in what they are doing, oblivious to everything outside the music being made. If you think of Zeppelin live around 68/69 you'll get the picture. Songs from all the studio albums feature in a powerful, driving set played with abandon. Third track "Sea of Destrucion" was recorded for last studio album "Pure Rock Fury" but left off. For fans the CD is worth purchasing for this one track. The genre defying "Careful with that Mic" is brilliant, mixing hip hop and metal in a way that sounds nothing like the identikit nu-metal bands around at the moment. This track really shows off Neil Fallons unique vocal and lyrical style. He sounds like a man you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley, but the intelligence of his lyrics belies this image. Clutch have been getting a reputation as a jam band recently and develop that theme further with "Big News I" and "II". The musicians really stretch out here, Tim Sult's guitar lines are brick hard and funky at the same time, with plenty of space for loose limbed basslines and flashy, but deadly accurate, jazz tinged drumming. "Soapmakers" closes, strange and breathtaking, a song that is uniquely Clutch. This is rock music made for its own ends, not to shift units. Music made by a real band that exist outside of the modern choreographed music industry. Oh, and did I not mention, It's heavy!

Plays well for a picture disk

Unfortunately there is a defect in the vinyl I purchased. Skips both sides same spot😤.

Smooth as mothers butter,

Great live album from a really cool band.

They say to build a better man trap the rats they will beat a path to your door.My favorite live album of all time. Just ask the soapmakers.

I want to love it all the way because Clutch is the greatest band ever! But I absolutely hate with a passion the plastic sleeves that these come in. I realize people want to see the image on the vinyl but there has to be a better solution. How about cardboard with a plastic window. Make it cool like Led Zeppelin 3 and integrate the design into the windows. Every one of these pictures disks I have has tears in the sleeve when I open them. It makes me sad...and then I listen to Clutch and I am happy again. The album rocks without a doubt...buy it!