Other live records

In between the greatest-hits albums and boxed sets, a few other concert albums slipped out this Christmas. Keith Richards’ belatedly released (and clumsily titled) Keith Richards and the X-Pensive Winos Live at the Hollywood Palladium, December 15, 1988 documents one stop on the Rolling Stone’s only solo tour. The arrangements don’t deviate much from those of the same songs on his Talk Is Cheap album. But he does toss in the Stones oldie ”Connection,” and rarely do live albums sound this willfully sloppy and alive. B

Heart’s Rock the House Live! takes a daring tack by emphasizing lesser-known album tracks over hits. You have to admire the pure gall of omitting ’80s comeback hits like ”Never” or ”These Dreams,” but then, do you really want to hear a live album of Heart filler? C-

Queensryche’s Operation Livecrime, a live recording of the band’s entire 1988 Operation: mindcrime concept album, proves definitively that the Seattle progressive-metallists are the reincarnation of overwrought ’70s rockers Uriah Heep. The album comes in a limited-edition boxed set with both the CD and concert video. (Be warned, though: Neither includes the group’s recent hit ”Silent Lucidity.”) D