by Steve Matteo

Four years had passed since a Dan Fogelberg album had come out, and rather than attempt to produce a studio album that would fit in with the times, Fogelberg released an excellent live album, Greetings from the West. Fogelberg has the ability to put on a great show, although some of the tour dates and nights don't quite live up to par for unexplained reasons. Fortunately, this two-CD set is excellent and includes a wide sweep of the music of his career. Although the backing band hardly includes household names, the musicianship is top-notch. Hearing all of these songs together in one sitting is to be reminded of just how good a songwriter Fogelberg is. The connection between him and his audience is genuine, and the emotional intensity is occasionally quite moving. The set also frequently brings forth more of Fogelberg's rock side and shows him to be an adept and energetic artist whose music should not be confined to the soft rock bins. A definite rebirth and a fine live outing.