Various Artists Stax Revue: Live In '65!
Released Aug 8, 2025 Craft Recordings
Early read 2 professional reviews Updated Aug 27, 2026
Broadly positive consensus
Early read based on 2 professional reviews. Various Artists' Stax Revue: Live In '65!
How ChoruScore worksCritics' Top Tracks
The songs critics returned to most
The Dog - Live at The 5-4 Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA
1 critic mention
In The Midnight Hour - Live at The 5-4 Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA
1 critic mention
Walking The Dog - Live at The 5-4 Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA
1 critic mention
Full critic consensus
Various Artists' Stax Revue: Live In '65! returns vintage Memphis soul to the stage with a raw, communal power that critics say still resonates. Across professional reviews the collection's archival remastering foregrounds live energy and the era's political undertow, offering a vivid document of community and protest caught inside a roiling dancehall. The record earned an 80/100 consensus score across 2 professional reviews, a signal that historians and casual listeners alike will find value here.
Reviewers consistently praise the clarity of the new transfer, noting how the remastering exposes band interplay and room ambiance. Standout tracks that emerge in coverage include “The Dog - Live at The 5-4 Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA”, “In The Midnight Hour - Live at The 5-4 Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA” and “Walking The Dog - Live at The 5-4 Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA” as moments where Memphis soul, call-and-response vocals, and crowd fervor converge. Critics point to the set's historical context, arguing the performances read as both joyous entertainment and a snapshot of mid-1960s social currents.
While assessments are generally favorable, reviewers temper praise with the caveat that the album functions primarily as an archival experience rather than a polished studio statement. That balance - archival significance paired with palpable live immediacy - positions Stax Revue: Live In '65! as a worthwhile entry in the Stax canon and a compelling listen for anyone researching the label's live reputation or seeking the best songs on the collection showcased above. Read on for full reviews and track-by-track notes.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Green Onions - Live at Club Paradise, Memphis, TN
Boot-Leg - Live at Club Paradise, Memphis, TN
You Can't Sit Down - Live at Club Paradise, Memphis, TN
Summertime - Live at Club Paradise, Memphis, TN
Soul Twist - Live at Club Paradise, Memphis, TN
What Can It Be - Live at Club Paradise, Memphis, TN
I'll Be Doggone - Live at Club Paradise, Memphis, TN
Just Be True - Live at Club Paradise, Memphis, TN
Out Of Sight - Live at Club Paradise, Memphis, TN
Can't See You When I Want To - Live at Club Paradise, Memphis, TN
Bar-B-Q - Live at Club Paradise, Memphis, TN
Last Night - Live at The 5-4 Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA
Don't Have To Shop Around - Live at The 5-4 Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA
Candy - Live at The 5-4 Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA
Any Other Way - Live at The 5-4 Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA
You Don't Miss Your Water - Live at The 5-4 Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA
Every Ounce Of Strength - Live at The 5-4 Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA
Boot-Leg - Live at The 5-4 Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA
In The Midnight Hour - Live at The 5-4 Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA
Walking The Dog - Live at The 5-4 Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA
The Dog - Live at The 5-4 Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 2 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
The remastering lets the band’s interplay and the room’s rowdy joy breathe, making these tracks the clearest answers to who delivers the best tracks on Stax Revue: Live in ’65!
Key Points
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The album’s core strengths are its raw Memphis soul energy, strong house-band interplay, and effective remastering that foregrounds the audience.