Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Jazzee Blue
2. That's The Way It Goes
3. Where The Blues Come From
4. Josephine
5. Work Gang
6. Head Out On The Highway
7. Easy Rider
8. 'Til The Morning
9. Stony Road
10. KKK Blues
11. Julia
12. Stainsby Girls

Disc 2:

1. Somewhere Between Highway 61 & 49
2. I Can Hear Your Heartbeat
3. The Road To Hell
4. On The Beach
5. Let's Dance
6. Fool (If You Think It's Over)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #28062 in Music
• Released on: 2006-10-16
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Box set
• Dimensions: .34 pounds
• Running time: 110 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Following prolonged bouts of ill health in recent years, Chris Rea's career has taken some radical turns. Most significant has been his decision to stop performing under the name Chris Rea and work as part of a band called The Fire Flies. The Road To Hell And Back is made up of performances from the subsequent farewell tour he played last year, and represents not only Rea's first live album but his last. Fortunately it captures this long-serving 'musician's musician' at his zenith. His shows at Warsaw Sala Kongresawa, The Brighton Centre and the Moscow Kremlin Palace have become stuff of legend among fans, and here his biggest hits are collected together with his high calibre recent recordings. Songs like "Jazee Blue", "Somewhere Between Highway 61 and 49", "Road To Hell", "On The Beach", "Let's Dance", "Julia" and "Stainsby Girls" are all played and sung with inevitable aplomb, but also with a surprising vitality for a man in his fifties with an ongoing illness and 25 years of industry experience behind him. A must for all serious fans. --Danny McKenna

CD Description
'The Road To Hell And Back' is a live compilation from the popular, Middlesbrough born, blues-influenced singer songwriter, Chris Rea. Recorded on his 2006 world tour, the album features all of his biggest hits, including 'Fool (If You Think It's Over)', 'Let's Dance' and 'The Road To Hell'.

Customer Reviews

raw and real
I have all of Chris Rea's albums. I enjoy them all; however to my ears this is the best yet. From the first few bars of the opener "Jazzee Blue", you can hear that this is a tight group of quality musicians yet there is that raw edge and intensity of a live performance.

Although the fresh and innovative reworking of old hits are great, it is the newer material that really seems to come to life with an energy. Chris's singing is very strong; his slide playing varies from a viscious intensity to expressive emotion.

The band, as usual, is top quality, and the sound quality is amazing. Sometimes you forget that it is a live recording. I was at the Manchester concert, although nothing was recorded there, it is a great memory of an amazing live peformance of musicianship.

Looking forward to the fireflies.

A great reminder of a great concert
This double CD captures Chris Rea on his farewell tour this year and is his only live album - ever!
It features a mix of both this smoother days like (On the Beach) and his post 2000 blues output. For me the blues output is the stuff to go for - 'Highway 49 and 61', 'East Rider' capture the full on blues of Chris Rea. Having said that the older material gets a much rougher treatment and Road to Hell becomes so much better for it with growly lyrics and a minimalist delivery. The highlight of the album however for me is the rip roaring 'Stainsby Girls' - the guitar work on this is just magical and is one to drive to ! I'd have bought this album just for that track as it was so good in concert - but there are some real jewels here - bring on the Mephis Fireflies !!

A masterpiece
One of the best CD's I've got in years, absolutly stunning. You just have to close your eyes turn up the sound and Chris is in the room with you. All the old classics are here and the guitar work on the haunting "Til the Morning" is worth the price alone.

Thanks for the magic Chris !!