Essentially part 2 of the farewell/send-off when the group broke up the first time, but this one is all the way live. Mountain had the reputation of a massive jam band, and for the most part, this document backs it up, although there are flaws. With only four tracks there is a lot of space to fill and one would think if any band is up to such a challenge, it's this one. And the first three tracks deliver. "Long Red" rings in the happy vibes of Woodstock, then "Waiting to Take you Away" fits more of a classic heavy Mountain pattern.
"Crossroader", for me, is the real pick of this one - the brutish, yet mysterious update of Cream's "Crossroads" which the band transforms into a furious mid-tempo workout, completely improved from even the studio version that appeared on Flowers of Evil. Felix's vocal howls from the maelstrom, with a ghastly edge I haven't heard on anything else with the band, ever. The album ends with an epic treatment of "Nantucket Sleighride", which is to be expected, but here is where things become a drag. The midsection and solos are stretched beyond believability, or at least normal common sense - but then again, it was the early 70's, so this kind of tomfoolery was expected from an outfit like Mountain. Not that I'm excusing it or anything. So, the road may have gone on, but for Mountain there was a break as Pappalardi had had enough, and in the meantime West and Laing joined forces with his virtual predecessor (Jack Bruce) for the ill-fated West, Bruce, and Laing project. As far this live album goes, fairly decent stuff.
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