Champion

Champion Et Ses G-Strings Live

Sabateur

Phil Villeneuve (CHARTattack)

11/27/2007 3:23pm

After tirelessly touring the planet thanks to the popularity of his mega-hit Chill 'Em All, Champion, along with hauntingly soulful side singer Betty Bonifassi and a five-person guitar troupe, end off the run by releasing this non-stop live record. A few songs into the recording, the listener is quickly left thinking, "Had to be there." Champion's spaced-out dance tracks often drag in a live setting and reminded me of a Montreal Jazz Fest show that wouldn't end. Guitar jerk-offs and simple electric riffs mix well in the studio, but on stage they all mesh together into an unrecognizable jam session. The other major downfall is that the entire first chunk of the performance sounds like a build-up to big hit "No Heaven." When it's finally played, the song isn't nearly as climactic as it could be and, with the exception of the cute goodbye from Champion and a diva-styled cover of Nina Simone's "Feeling Good," the rest is forgetful. At least the accompanying DVD is kind of cool.