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| Live,
Songs from Black Mountain |
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| REVIEWED
BY JASON GLADU, POSTED ON JUNE 18,
2006 |
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After hearing
Live's seventh release I couldn't help but think that it has
the most misleading album title since R.E.M.'s UP. Songs
from Black Mountain sounds like it would be a mysterious,
dark and ominous record from a band returning from the edge
of obscurity with fire in their hearts. But that's not what you
get. Instead, what you get is a band continuing their formulaic,
modern rock sound. Not only is the music painfully familiar,
but so are Ed Kowalczyk's lyrics. Kowalczyk is still revisiting
his well-worn themes of spirituality, war and love. While these
themes are always important and will be covered until the end
of time, his statements don't feel as potent or as poetic as
the ones made in 1994's Throwing
Copper or
1997's Secret Samadhi. Though Black Mountain won't win over many
new fans, die-hards will still get a kick out of Kowalczyk's
amazing vocal work, especially on the first single "The
River," the funky, Jamiroquai-esque "Sofia," and
should-be next single "Get Ready." Also, the production team has beautifully
mixed Black Mountain with clean multiple layers of sound that would work
great on rock radio. It's just too bad that Live didn't create any memorable
songs to steal our hearts with. (Epic/Red
Ink)  |
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