A relic from the early days of DVD-Audio marketing, From the Front Row Live is actually a straightforward lift from 10cc's regular King Biscuit Flour Hour live album and, aside from requiring a DVD to play it on, seems and sounds absolutely indistinguishable from its CD counterpart. Of course, a mid-'70s live radio broadcast tape probably isn't the ideal medium on which to experience DVD-Audio, so it's maybe unfair to castigate this release for that. But the manufacturers were surely aware of that fact too, so maybe the words "beware" should not stray too far from our lips. All that aside, of course, this is a tremendous release, alive with all the charm, energy, invention and eccentricity that ranked among the band's greatest attributes, together with a one-stop guide to 10cc's early greatest hits and bits. The boogie-licious "Rubber Bullets" is almost worth the price of admission alone, but you won't want to miss the gizmo-led "Old Wild Men," a moody "Somewhere in Hollywood," and even an hysterical "Donna." 10cc's reputation is often said to be built upon the perfection of their studio recordings, and that is true. But they were a sensational live act as well, and here's the proof. ~ Dave Thompson, All Music Guide
10cc's installment in the King Biscuit Flower Hour series was recorded on November 11, 1975, at California's Santa Monica Civic Center, featuring the original lineup of Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley, and Lol Creme. Oddly, there are no songs included from The Original Soundtrack, the record the group was touring behind at the time (not even their smash hit "I'm Not in Love"). What is here, though, consistently holds the listener's attention anyway, as the band had already recorded enough top-quality material to produce a decent best-of LP. The sound quality is very good, and the band is in energetic form. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
0cc's early-1990s reformation, although it didspawn a new studio album (and a even briefer reunion for the original four piece line-up), was more firmly built around what has also become known as the Classic Hits tour, a Japanese outing that saw surviving founders Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman transform one of the most vibrantly original bands of the 1970s into nothing more than a cynical jukebox.It's cabaret-a-go-go, from the soul-less renditions of the band's own biggest hits, through to the handful of totally unnecessary Beatles covers ("Across The Universe", "Paperback Writer", "Slow Down") that line up alongside the expected oldies… "The Things We Do For Love", "Art For Art's Sake", "I'm Mandy, Fly Me". But it's not the repertoire that rankles so much as the sheer lack of enthusiasm that hallmarks the performance. The band isn't even on autopilot here; are scarcely going through the motions and, if the hits sound lackluster, three numbers drawn from the recently released Meanwhile are even weaker. Occasional moments shine. Stewart's guitar showcase "Feel The Benefit" at least reminds us that its maker was once rightly regarded among his instrument's most reliable showmen, and the so-called "Bullets Medley" proves that the band could rock when it wanted to. But that's all it is. Occasional moments. For long time fans, this album's a raging disappointment, for the casually curious it's a waste of time. Forget it. ~ Dave Thompson, All Music Guide