I know what you must be thinking: “A new Masta Killa album? Cool! Oh wait, it’s live?” Well toss your pre-conceived notions about how you imagine this album will sound, because chances are you will be wrong. Generally, live albums can get lost in muddled sounds, low energy, and overlapping posse vocals that distract the listener from the core of the album. Thankfully for Masta Killa, that is not the case on Live.

The track list boasts no true surprises. From “Duel of the Iron Mic” all the way through the closing “Triumph,” Masta Killa fires off classic after classic from his own catalogue as well as other Wu members’ albums (notably Only Built 4 Cuban Linx and Liquid Swords). Still, just about half of the album comes from Killa’s acclaimed No Said Date, including the title track with its sped-up sample of OutKast’s “Skew It On The Bar-B” sounding fresh as ever.

The tracks transition from one to the next with relative ease, and the progression of the set is logical. A common concern with live albums is the sound quality. On Live, the beats can tend to sound a bit compressed, yet the overall sonic quality is clear and crisp, allowing for Killa’s sharp, deliberate flow to take the spotlight. Those classic kung-fu Wu-Tang samples are also interjected into songs – at times welcomed – but other times the tracks would be better off on their own.

There is a slight lull in the energy towards the middle of the album, but this is a minor setback. For the most part, the energy of the live set translates well onto record, leaving the listener satisfied. The album also clocks in under 40 minutes; so while the set is brief, it leaves little time for the listener to lose interest in the album, which is another bonus. As far as live albums go, this isn’t quite revolutionary, but it is surely a surprisingly good listen. And any Wu fan will appreciate hearing an oft-overlooked member delivering some memorable live bars.

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