Critic's Review
Heather Phares, All Music Guide
As raw as their studio albums and singles are, the Gossip's Undead in NYC demonstrates just how much more visceral they are in concert. Beth Ditto's vocals sound even more passionate, Nathan's guitars clang even more deeply, and Kathy's drums pummel that much harder. This document of the band's September 2002 performance at the Knitting Factory crackles with electricity, careening through some of the band's best songs from That's Not What I Heard, Arkansas Heat, and their then-upcoming album, Movement. The tracks that would appear on that album -- "Non Non Non" (later "No, No, No"), "Dangerr," "Confessor" (which became "Confess"), and the stunning "Don't Make Waves" -- are some of Undead in NYC's highlights; in some cases, they sound more alive here than they do in their finished forms. The band battles with gleeful chaos throughout the set, particularly on "Gone Tomorrow" and the ear-bleeding version of "I Wanna Be Yr Dog" with GSL stalwarts the Chromatics. This seriously playful volatility drives all of the Gossip's work, but hits its peak here, which should please fans looking for a more intense fix of their sound.
