Dr. Stan's Prescription, Vol. 1 (Live)

Album Review

This three-disc collection marks the debut entry in moe.'s Dr. Stan series, which features complete, unedited performances assembled by the band's own archivist, Dr. Stan Lobitz. The majority of the track list comes from a 2004 performance aboard a Caribbean cruise ship, while the album's "filler" is taken from a gig in Colorado in 1995. The band sounds loose and comfortable during the cruise ship segment, a mood no doubt indebted for the sunshine and tropical vibes that permeated the pool deck, and moe. even tosses out a few covers for the occasion: Pink Floyd's "Interstellar Overdrive," "Turn on Your LoveLight" as interpreted by the Grateful Dead, and a rather imprecise (but well-meaning) version of the Band's "The Weight." Rounding out the latter halves of discs two and three is the 1995 performance, which includes a hyperactive performance of "Dr. Graffenberg" as well as a barreling, jam-head take on "Havah Negilah." It's interesting to jump back in time with this decade-old set, during which the band introduces itself as "merely the appetizer for Leftover Salmon" (presumably the headliner for the evening). moe. has since established itself as a jam-band heavyweight with far more albums in its catalog than Leftover Salmon, and fans of the band will be interested in hearing the "then and now" switcheroo that this collection presents. As is the case with many moe. releases, this one is for fans only — but fans will surely eat it up.