11.04.2009

Pink, FUNHOUSE TOUR LIVE IN AUSTRALIA

Pink has had a varied musical output, doing everything from sneering hard pop to tender ballads. She hasn't had a greatest hits album (yet), but Funhouse Tour: Live in Australia has almost all of her hits, plus some covers. The strength and problem is that these are often divided between the cd and dvd.

The cd portion of Funhouse Tour is divided between a high-energy first half and slower second half (except for ending with "Funhouse" and a new single) -- and both work well. Opening with a far-too-brief cover of "Highway to Hell," Pink blasts her way through several of her top 40 hits, infusing them with great energy. Pink performs her more sentimental songs equally well, letting her voice softly go along with the music. Her cover of "Bohemian Rhapsody" should have been more distinct from the original, but even with that Pink does a respectable version of the Queen classic.

My conflict about Funhouse Tour comes from the concert dvd. On the one hand, having a visual recording of the tour is a nice addition to the cd: You get to see the spectacle and stage show, plus a lot more songs. (There are 21 songs on the dvd and 12 on the cd.) But why weren't these songs on the cd, either by expanding it or making it a two cd release? Some of the dvd songs missing from the cd include several of Pink's big hits ("Just Like a Pill," "So What," "Sober"), not to mention a very sensual cover of the DiVinyls' "I Touch Myself." I'm glad the concert is here, but I'd have liked to have all the songs on the cd. That said, Funhouse Tour is a nice, um, tour of Pink's music, showcasing her talent nicely.

Overall grade: B
Reviewed by James Lynch

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