All Rise...

Judge Brett Cullum plays a wicked game in a heart-shaped world.

Editor's Note

Our reviews of Chris Isaak: Baja Sessions (published September 8th, 2004), Chris Isaak Christmas (published November 26th, 2008), and Chris Isaak: Greatest Hits Live (published August 24th, 2009) are also available.

The Charge

Slick, cool, and utterly heartbroken.

The Case

Chris Isaak: Live / Greatest Hits (Blu-ray) is simply a combination of two earlier single disc releases from Chicago's WTTW Soundstage series; one from 2003 and one from 2005 featuring Chris Isaak and his band playing a solid set of some of his most well known songs during those respective tours. Both episodes feature a lot of the same numbers, and it's interesting to see how little the banter changed. Isaak has his act down, from the color of his suits changes to how he handles himself on stage. Of course, there's no crime in any of that; he's a natural concert performer who delivers live as good as he gives in the studio.

First up is Chris Isaak: Live in Concert (2003), which features the following setlist…

• "American Boy"
• "Wicked Game"
• "Heart-shaped World"
• "Go Walkin' Down There"
• "Baby did a Bad Bad Thing"
• "Courthouse"
• "Somebody's Crying"
• "One Day"
• "San Francisco Days"
• "Forever Blue"
• "Super Magic 2000"

Towards the end the set, Chris welcomes Raul Malo to the stage for two songs from his first solo outing without the Mavericks.

Next up is Chris Isaak: Greatest Hits Live (2005), which features these numbers…
Dancin

• "Let Me Down Easy"
• "Wicked Game"
• "Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing"
• "Solitary Man"
• "Western Stars"
• "Can't Do A Thing (To Stop Me)"
• "Only The Lonely"
• "Wrong To Love You"
• "American Boy"
• "Notice The Ring"
• "Diddly Daddy"

Bonus tracks show Chris singing "Goin' Nowhere," "Blue Hotel," and "Think Of Tomorrow."

Presented in 1.78:1/1080i high definition Blu-ray with 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, these transfers give everything a slight audio/visual boost over their DVD counterparts. He is fully aware of the cameras—which means some of the moments feel forced—but the shows capture Isaak and the band at the peak of their career. Since there's nothing exclusive to the format, an upgrade is a tough sell. However, for those who don't already own these performances, hardcore completists will gobble this up, and casual fans will find it the most comprehensive way to view this man in action.

Chris Isaak will go on getting his heartbroken, looking impossibly good while doing it, and here's all the proof you need.

The Verdict

Guilty of making the ladies swoon and the oldies croon.

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