MTV Unplugged: Classic Moments

Remember MTV Unplugged? It was a very trendy bit of programming wizardry which presented rock musicians in acoustic performances. The idea was innovative, but it was compromised pretty quickly by the producers' failure to adhere to the basic definition of their own brainchild. Unplugged, in other words, became increasingly plugged. This Classic Moments collection features tunes by Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Sheryl Crow, Seal, Indigo Girls, Chris Isaak, John Mellencamp and Joe Cocker. For the record, Isaak's rendition of "Wicked Game" steals the show, though, visually, all the clips are very slick, and the audio work is first-rate. Sony Music Video and MTV have also released an identically priced companion video, Finest Moments. If these are really MTV Unplugged's "finest" moments, then what are bands like The Cure, 10,000 Maniacs, The Church and Duran Duran doing on this video? Just for openers, any video in which Natalie Merchant "dances" cannot possibly be a finest moment. Classic Moments is recommended. Some rock fans will find that Finest Moments is mis-titled. Aud: P. (P. Van Vleck)