Tina Turner - Rio '88
Few work a crowd like Tina Turner. Her energy is so tireless that she  often becomes a blur on stage, a shimmying, gyrating figure in skimpy fringe outfits that barely double as dresses. You can get tired just watching Turner, as she challenges her audience to maintain the same energy level throughout an entire performance. This disc captures 180,000 people in Rio, towards the backside of Turner's '80s comeback, trying to keep pace. Sadly, the soundboard man failed. During this 75-minute show, in which Turner and her ultra-slick band perform 13 numbers, it sounds as if the Acid Queen is singing in a backstage bathroom. Though you can see veins popping out of her neck as she belts out lyrics for "Better Be Good to Me" to ballads like "Private Dancer," the vocals sound buried in the mix. This flaw calls attention to Turner's shortcomings. While she's definitely a great screamer (check out "Proud Mary"), she's far from a great singer. Her limited, whinny range most noticeably falls short on nearly every ballad she attempts. Her voice cracks repeatedly during a cover of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together," and a misguided reworking of the Beatles' "Help." While Turner has the best legs in the business, and some of the best energy, her pipes, especially in this muddy performance, are suspect.--Dave McCoy