by Brian Beatty
Culled from the same European tour dates as Abnormal and The Highway Kind, this set of minimal live performances features a number of true Van Zandt classics, including "Snowin' on Raton," "To Live's to Fly," "Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold," and "You Are Not Needed Now." The man's in fairly decent voice, too, given how many of his later recordings betrayed the ravages of his hard-scrabble life. But even with his voice on his side, Van Zandt sounds as if he's trying to fend off death with a joke and a song -- and not necessarily succeeding. Though hardly the place for neophytes to begin, In Pain is a fitting and aptly named epitaph for this beloved singer/songwriter.