While we’re more than happy to see the resurrection of PBS’ Soundstage series, their DVD department could use a swift kick in the keister. America’s performance for Soundstage originally aired in August 2005, and the band’s most recent release, the dandy, Adam Schlesinger-assisted Here and Now, is now a year and a half old, meaning that this DVD missed its ideal release window by roughly 17 months. Tardy release date aside, this is one splendid show, recorded in Hi-Def and given the 5.1 Surround Sound treatment. The band that Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell assembled is air-tight, and they contribute spotless vocals to create those trademark America multi-layered harmonies. The set list includes all of their Top 40 singles (except “Today’s the Day”), along with performances of “California Dreamin’” and the Jimmy Webb song “The Last Unicorn.” To raise the Mellow Gold quotient even higher, Christopher Cross appears on “Lonely People.” The set list is nearly identical to the bonus live disc that came with Here and Now, and while that set was good, this set is longer (“You Can Do Magic,” woo hoo!), and much, much better. Dig in.
