"The River" was released as the first single for Live's new album, Songs from Black Mountain. She was cautiously optimistic. The song, while not the driving rock she had hoped the band would return to, was pretty damn catchy. This was a start.
I got an advance of Songs to review and we started to listen to it together. We got four songs into it and she was pretty depressed. Ed was happy and it was killing the music. Live had gotten soft. She officially abandoned all hope when the band appeared on American Idol's season finale last month. It was the final nail.
"Here and no further," she declared. The quartet of Chad Taylor (guitar), Patrick Dahlheimer (bass), Chad Gracey (drums), and Ed Kowalczyk (vocals) has remained the same since their debut, Mental Jewelry, but the music had not. She could bear no more. Live had taken off on a new direction and she was not going to take the trip.
If that dweeb Taylor was AI's "Soul Patrol" Ed could be the show's spiritual Pied Piper. The most fatiguing aspect of listening to a Live record is Kowalczyk lecturing us on his brand of spiritualism. It's like Oprah fuckin' Winfrey set to music and it can get old. Fast. Try listening to "Love Shines (A Song for My Daughters About God)." Go on. I dare you.
The worst moment on the disc, and quite possibly the worst moment since Ed sang about puppy scruff, is "Get Ready." The song is insulting to anyone with an IQ above 9 and knowledge of music history longer than two years. This plays like a dumb version of Curtis Mayfield's classic "People Get Ready." It is criminally bad and it thwarts whatever momentum the album might have had after "The River" and "Mystery."
Article comments
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Bummer to hear it isn't good. When I saw them on AI, I was shocked. But damn. I loved Throwing Copper, even if I was only 14 :P
2 - DJRadiohead
Only 14? Ouch. That was a low, low blow. In addition to Live's music making me feel old now I have you in on the act.
TWTWIM likes the album less than I do. I had to listen to TC to refresh my memory (happens when you get old) and the departure from it to SFBM is pretty severe.
3 - Mark Saleski
i never "got" Live. too much yearning, not enough fun.
4 - DJRadiohead
I really liked, back then, angsty rock. I guess I still do although maybe not as much anymore. Live had one really good record (Copper) and only three or four really good songs since.
5 - Phillip Winn
Mental Jewelry was the high point, and each album has gotten worse since. I'm really sorry to have to agree with you, but I'm not impressed with the new album. Very sad.
6 - DJRadiohead
Sorry that you're agreeing with me or sorry that the album kind of blows?
MJ has a few songs I really like but I was more partial to Copper.
7 - Tom Johnson
I've had a preview copy for a couple of months now and aside from a very brief, um, preview, I really have had no desire to dig into this one. I think you hit the nail on the head - this just has nothing driving it. Oprah-rock.
And "puppy scruff" - that's the funniest thing I've read so far today. Awesome.
I'm one of the weird ones that actually counts the gritty Secret Samadhi and The Distance to Here as their creative high points. I could do without the rest, actually. I completely burned out Throwing Copper within a couple of years of it coming out, but boy I sure did love it then. But I still occasionally listen to Samadhi and Distance.
I also like their drummer. Dude's got some decent chops, and I'm not alone in liking him - Neil Peart's reportedly a fan, too.
8 - Mark Saleski
having Neil say he likes a drummer is definitely a feather in the cap. on the other hand, he really likes Linkin Park..which i could never figure out.
9 - DJRadiohead
Thanks, Tom. TWTWIM and I were talking about how these past few albums have all but neutered what I thought was a decent rhythm section. Gracey can play and I thought Dahlheimer had some interesting bass riffs on Copper. Neither has been allowed to be interesting very often since.
Copper stands up for me and I have a love/hate with Samadhi. Distance started getting to fluffy on the lyrics for me and the music began watering down at this point to me. Jerry Harrison returning helped it... some. I didn't think it was consistent throughout the album. But it's interesting those two albums are your favorites. I haven't listened straight through either in awhile. Might be worth a revisit.
10 - Mark Saleski
just throw out these Live discs and go listen to some Bjork fer godssakes.
11 - DJRadiohead
I've been listening to Duke's suggestions and I have a slew of discs on the way from Connecticut, I think. I think that's where they ship from. Anyway, I have music coming. The new Live? Not so much. Plus, I have some more reviews to finish.
12 - Mark Saleski
one word: Medulla.
13 - DJRadiohead
I'll see your Medulla and raise you a Belladonna. Listening to it again this morning. I can't let go of it.
14 - Tom Johnson
Medulla was actually the album that made me realize I actually couldn't stand Bjork anymore. Uh oh - I think I've just been kicked out of the "cool club." Damn it! Again!
15 - Mark Saleski
that's ok tom, we won't hold it against you. we might even let you in again at the meetings.
16 - Aaron Fleming
God I haven't heard Live in years, I remember not minding their Alt Rock stylings back then.
Good that you mentioned Stapp, because throughout the start of your review I was imagining them nowadays as a balder Creed.
17 - DJRadiohead
Yes, Sir Fleming, I am afraid Ed and Stapp have become two sides of the same coin.
I'd still take Live over Creed any day of the week and twice on Sundays. This new album is not terrible. It's underwhelming and occasionally cheesy.
18 - Stephanie
Interesting that you rip the heck out of Live and their latest cd, yet you have links all over the place, hoping to pick up some affiliate profits on any sales from your site. Hoping someone will overlook your incredibly negative review and buy one?
I like the cd. Love it, actually. Guess it should be obvious that anyone who has a photo flipping the bird to everyone would have difficulty liking anything that wasn't filled with anger or a hard edge. Maybe it's just this band and you're more positive about others. Never read your cd reviews, don't intend to waste my time in the future doing so either.
19 - DJRadiohead
Stephanie, I do appreciate your comment. I think you have misunderstood me and my review but I am OK if you choose not to read to work my in the future. It will reduce my readership back to single digits, but as they say, two steps forward and three steps back. As for my musical tastes, if you do reconsider and read some of my reviews again you will find many albums I truly love and they are not all angry or hard edged. In fact, I am writing a very positive review of a CD that is more of a world music/jazz sort of work. It's wonderful and the review will go live this week.
I don't think my review is incredibly negative. I do point out that I like Live's earlier album better and I don't think that is an opinion out the mainstream with Live fans (other commenters on this very thread, for instance). There are some things about the CD I did not like. I note those. There are songs on the disc I did like. I note those as well. I don't hate the CD. It isn't terrible. I don't think it's outstanding.
I guess I should also point out, I don't run the site. Any money that may be made by someone buying the CD from Amazon through those links goes into another pocket, not mine. I have the links up there because that is how we do things. I gave an honest review. If I was really trying to sell the disc and make money I would have written glowing things about the album. There is no trickery here. People are free to agree or disagree with me.
As to my birdie picture, tongue is planted in cheek there. I did it for a laugh. I guess I'm the only one who finds it funny.
I appreciate you being fairly respectful in your disagreement with my review. That is a rarity these days. I'm glad you love the album. It's cool- Live is still making some people happy. I can always go back and listen to Throwing Copper. Thanks for commenting.
20 - DJRadiohead
As if all that wasn't long enough, Dawn Olsen provided a pretty good piece that speaks to my feelings on the first "accusation" or rather suggestion I might somehow be trying to trick people into lining my pockets with the links despite the "negative" review.
21 - Rob
They lost me on the first single from SFBM. The melody itself is catchy enough, but the lyrics to The River are horrible. I was embarrassed for them. "now she's lying naked on my floor"....can't get more cheesy then that. I, too, really liked Throwing Copper a lot and the follow up wasn't bad either, but I can't get into this one.
22 - SJN1279
The track on Songs from Black Mountian is called SoFia. Ed's daughter is called SoPHia. They aren't related.
23 - Mat Brewster
You know you're lining your pockets with Amazon gold. And what better way to do that than give a negative review of what your selling?
I sell crappy vacuums door to door. My sales pitch is that I throw a bunch of shite on the customer's floor, then when my vacuum can't pick up a dang thing, voila! The people line up to buy one.
Really, don't listen to me, Stephanie. I'm just a sarcastic bastard trying to have fune. DJ gave you a much better (and kinder) response.
Personally, I love the birdie pic, Sir DJ.
24 - Mary K. Williams
Wow DJ, you were a model of diplomacy re Stephanie. Bravo Sir!
Although, you managed to NOT include my wonderful quote about AA Milne characters (the one that made TWTWYAM laugh) - not a bad review : ).
I'm not in any hurry to go out and get this latest CD, I'm not a huge follower of Live. But like I said before, I really do like Copper disc.
25 - DJRadiohead
SJN - interesting on the spelling. I suppose it's possible the song is not about his daughter. I wasn't positive about it. That said - I still think the rhyme scheme is a bit daft and the drug similie just seems clumsy to me.
Sir Brewster, Sir Mary - many thanks for checking out the review and your comments. The birdie stays!