Natural Born Boogie: BBC Sessions

Clean, crisp-sounding, full of buoyant energy and menacing swagger, the lads make their way through a handful of classics with amazing confidence and self-assuredness: they had the moves, the riffs, the Big Picture. The first 3 cuts -- early classics in their own right -- rival the original versions with their jaunty r&b rythms, kaleidoscope guitars, rootsy yet phenomenal vocal interplay, and concise interpretations (no meandering solos here). The bluesier numbers of the second half are the embodiment of sheer soul ("Black Coffee") and rock & roll danger ("Rolling Stone," "I Don't Need No Doctor"). Again, the jamming is kept trimmed and never threatens to overrun the songs themselves.

Having said all that, there's an unmistakable innocent charm in these performances, as if , besides the serious skillmanship and Marriott's occasional bravado, the lads are playing for the sheer love of music, for the wonder and the excitement. Cheeky yet humble.

The BBC Sessions may be the Pie's last stroke of genius and is certainly a treasure trove for the fan. For those just discovering Humble Pie, Rock On or Smoking (the two albums most represented in these sessions and the band's highest creative/performance peaks) may be the place to begin on a beautiful journey.