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Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas | 
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| Artist: Townes Van Zandt
Label: Snapper UK
Category: Music
List Price: $23.98
Buy New: $10.34
You Save: $13.64 (57%)
New (31) Used (7) from $10.34
Avg. Customer Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 8758
Format: Import, Original Recording Remastered
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 2
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 4.9 x 0.5
UPC: 803415250820
EAN: 0803415250820
ASIN: B000089AQO
Release Date: February 5, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
Disc 1
| • | Announcement | | • | Pancho & Lefty | | • | Mr. Mudd & Mr. Gold | | • | Don't You Take It Too Bad | | • | Two Girls | | • | Fraternity Blues | | • | If I Needed You | | • | Brand New Companion | | • | White Freight Liner Blues | | • | To Live Is to Fly | | • | She Came and She Touched Me | | • | Talking Thunderbird Blues | | • | Rex's Blues | | • | Nine Pound Hammer |
Disc 2
| • | For the Sake of the Song | | • | Chauffeur's Blues | | • | No Place to Fall | | • | Loretta | | • | Kathleen | | • | Why She's Acting This Way | | • | Cocaine Blues | | • | Who Do You Love? | | • | Tower Song | | • | Waiting 'Round to Die | | • | Tecumseh Valley | | • | Lungs | | • | Only Him or Me |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Album Details
Culled from Van Zandt's Years of Independently Released Country-folk Records, the Austere Collection of Songs Here Serves, in Effect, as a Greatest-hits Package, Albeit with Glitches, Errant Noises, Goofy Jokes and Witty Anecdotes. Van Zandt's Dry, Narrative Wit was the Source of Influence for Such Singer-songwriters as Lyle Lovett, but One Would Be Hard-pressed to Find a More Simple, Prettier Love Song Than "if I Needed You" (A Hit for Emmylou Harris) Or a More Riveting Ballad Than "Kathleen", Both Sung with Focused Precision. The Old Quarter Falls as Silent as a Church. "Brand New Companion" Shows off Van Zandt's Blues-picking Expertise. "Talking Thunderbird Blues" Demonstrates his Wit. One of his Best Creations, "For the Sake of the Song", Shows off his Poetic Strength. This is the Place to Start If You Are Just Entering the Parched, Spare Domain of Townes Van Zandt. By Album's End, You Will Be Thirsty for More.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
Man, I never heard it that quiet in here before November 1, 2008
This is probably the only review I'll ever write.
I stumbled upon Townes through the Big Lebowski. We watched that movie ad nauseam my Junior year of college, and I found the closing track, "Dead Flowers", to be profoundly haunting. I bought this album sight unseen, and it was the greatest purchase I've ever made.
As a direct result of buying this album, I bought an acoustic guitar and learned to play most of these songs. I've shared it with those closest to me, and I went out of my way to visit Wrecks Bell at his (former) bar in Galveston.
Townes had an ability to put words together that was truly unique - no one has ever spoken to me like he has, before or since. This album captures him at his best: in a small, enthusiastic live acoustic setting. Just him, his guitar, and a crowd of maybe 40 listeners. I would kill to have been there.
This album has touched my life.
Extraordinary clarity and power from a increasingly forgotten singer October 23, 2008
Townes Van Zandt was not a singer that I had heard of, until just recently. He was another Texas singer, whose drinking and drugging kept his career from taking off and killed him in his early 50s. Another familiar sad story, increased in his case by mental trouble (maniac depression).
Except for one thing. My goodness, the man could sing and write songs! This album is absolutely extraordinary. It consists of almost nothing but Van Zandt's voice, singing over a very muted guitar. There is nothing here but the man and his songs. Very few musicians come across well in those circumstances.
Van Zandt, however, delivers a series of haunting songs, penetrating lyrics and beautiful melodies. This guy is the real deal, a song-writer who really is a poet and singer of beautiful, beautiful songs. His work should not be forgotten. In a very different way, he is another American original like J.J. Cale, an utterly extraordinary talent who lived out his life far from the music industry's hype.
TVZ July 20, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Townes Van Zandt takes a back seat to no one. This work just reinforces that fact.
Better than Dylan? March 30, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Next to Cash's Live at Folsom, this is the best country/folk/Americana live album ever made. I personally have always considered Bob Dylan far and away the premier songwriter of his time and I was put off by Steve Earle's oft quoted statement that TVZ is the best songwriter in the world (and he will stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in his cowboy boots and say that).
Ahhhh, this album shows Earle to be very close to being right. Townes' songs are PERFECTLY written, every word and phrase in their exact places. Like Mozart hearing his opera in his head fully formed, Townes seems to do the same, like an angel sent down to Earth to be a conduit from the Creator to us mere mortals. Like Van Gough, his work will prove to be timeless, growing in stature and value as the ages roll.
Dylan's work is, of course, wonderful,immense, historical - a body of work that will stand the test of time as surely as any of the great classical composers.
Van Zandt's work is different. It's poetry in its pure form. It's lovely and understated and complex and timeless and it, too, is a great body of work. Not revolutionary, no anthems, just songs to be sung and LISTENED to and enjoyed. Songs that grow with every listening, songs that stand as art, songs that sound like every other song until it hits you that they are like no other songs.
Recorded at The Old Quarter in Houston, TX over five steamy nights in July 1973, Live at The Old Quarter captures for posterity the genius that is Townes Van Zandt at the artistic height of his live performances.
The best February 17, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
This is simply the best album I've ever heard. The depth and sophistication of Townes' lyrics are plenty evident, but the performance is nearly flawless too. He's in his prime, playing his songs the way they were meant to be played, and playing them flawlessly. I honestly consider this to be a major work of art on par with anything--music, painting, literature...anything--anyone has ever done.
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