Justice - 'A Cross The Universe' (Atlantic) Released 24/11/08

Even to the most devoted fan, live Rock n Roll albums (and make no mistake, that is exactly what this is) are a complete minefield at the best of times. For every Talking head’s seminal ‘Stop Making Sense’ or Tom Wait’s inspiring ‘Nighthawks at the Diner’ there are at least a thousand hastily cobbled together spin offs. These are often simple recreations of the band’s current record, straightforward capitalist exercises aimed at draining your pocket but doing nothing for your soul.

Inherently the live album has an unenviable task of attempting to portray the one element of music that can never really be replicated, downloaded or otherwise experienced again. You are in this moment for this night and things will never be the same again. Unless you’re watching Keane, in which case there is no hope for you and you may as well stay at home slapping yourself in the face with damp slices of toast. There is a reason for why The Flaming lips have never released a live album you know. How on earth would you recreate that spectacle?  
     
This division of course applies mainly to more traditional guitar acts, not a bracket that Parisian Electro duo Justice will ever fit into. This record is more a thrilling remake of their debut album ‘Cross’. In a very similar vein to Daft Punk’s ‘Alive 2007’ it feels like a remix album with crowd noise. Raucous and unhinged applause at suitably high volume!

What is most adorable about this record is that it absolutely ROCKS. I mean, it is so beautifully heavy it even slips in audacious covers of Metallica and Rage Against the Machine. For those still in love with the Rock and Roll dream (hands up, fools), this record feels like a strobe lit, senses obliterating, and life affirming night out.  

If you have stopped believing then this record will drag you out of despondency, melting your woes away with a definitive version of anthem ‘We are your Friends’ mixed in with Atlantis to Interzone sirens, just one of many spine tingling moments. ‘D.A.N.C.E’ undeniably should have been a daytime Radio One smash hit. 'That is, if Radio One hadn't started resembling a bunch of Butlins Redcoats running loose on the set of Pat Sharpe's Funhouse. In other words, terrifyingly wrong and far too convinced of its entertainment value. Here, they play that tune in various permutations, defiantly and with attitude and it feels like a big, joyous **** you to all of the cynics and mediocrity.  

A challenge: If, 30 minutes into this record you aren’t dancing around your room like an absolute fool yelling “Dis-Co Dis-Co Disco” and turning it up to ear splitting volume so that the neighbors think that you’ve developed a sudden interest in power tools then I propose that you are quite possibly dead and that your capacity for fun certainly is.

The journey reaches a peak of sorts with a mind blowing ‘Waters of Nazareth’ that feels, in the best possible way like getting your skull trepanned and letting all of the demons out of your head.

During the accompanying live DVD footage, they pour alcohol over a fan and then set them on fire and their tour manager continually waves a gun around. This is the hell raising, white-knuckle aural equivalent of such madness.

A note to all up and coming and established ‘Indie’ bands- Develop massive balls of steel and learn to rock this hard live or please **** right off and pursue alternate careers as children’s television presenters. And right there, we would truly have Justice for all.