The Distance To Here

Of course, this is a music CD, and the incredibly poetic lyrics would be all but lost if not for the swirling, three-dimensional wall of sound that Live creates with guitars, keyboards, and other various instruments when needed. This is a group that can--and should--do a live album with full orchestral accompaniment, a la Metallica. Indeed, they are already a mini-orchestra in the complex way they arrange the music in their songs. Even the indelible artwork in the liner notes--and on the CD itself--is evocative of the album's themes and is resultingly as beautiful as the music.

A lot of love was put into each song, in every aspect, to create a kind of concept album--one that is, first and foremost, about love. Many of the songs use water and fish as metaphors for feelings, which lends me to believe that the album's concept is deeply rooted in Astrology and The Zodiac. For example, lead singer/songwriter Ed Kowalczyk sings in the appropriately titled "Where Fishes Go": "I couldn't take it anymore so I went back to the sea/cuz' that's where fishes go when fishes get the sense to flee." Also, in "Run To The Water", he sings "I got sand in both my shoes and scorpions in my hair." (Although it's apparent from the pictures in the CD liner notes that good ol' Ed is as bald as a baby's arse!) I'd bet money that Ed Kowalczyk is either a Pisces or a Scorpio. :)

Every song on this CD is very good, and most of them are great. My favorite one is still the powerful, muscular arena rocker "The Dolphin's Cry," which I feel is one of the greatest heavy-rock love songs of all time. Guitarist Chad Taylor plays powerfully and brilliantly, showing that he doesn't need guitar solos in nearly every song in order to show how good of a guitarist he is. Next favorite is the beautiful "The Distance," with its surprising 10-second harpsichord solo in the middle and Ed Kowalczyk's amazing five-octave vocal range throughout. "Voodoo Lady" is perverse and dark, alternatively jazzy and heavy, and is my third favorite song on here. "Sparkle" has an incredibly fast tribal rhythm courtesy of drummer Chad Gracey and bassist Patrick Dahlheimer. "Run To The Water," "Face And Ghost," "Feel The Quiet River Rage," "They Stood Up For Love," "We Walk In The Dream" and "Dance With You" are all beautiful songs; each of them would easily rank as the best song on most other bands' albums.

This was easily one of the five best releases of 1999. If you love hard rocking music with power and emotion, then you need to buy this CD. MOST RECOMMENDED

The album starts off with the instantly likeable and catchy track “The Dolphin’s Cry.” From here on the album seems to have a large ‘hippy’ angle on the lyrics and music. The track “The Distance” has an almost ‘Doors’ sound to it, whilst Edward’s lyrics preach out that we should “spread our wings and fly.”

The real highlight for me was the haunting track “Run To The Water,” that whispers the same ingredients to song structure as past quieter ‘Live’ classics. The vocals are truly immense on the song with a dramatic crescendo building throughout the track.

All in all, I would say that the album is a must buy for any ‘Live’ fan. It contains quite a few tracks that do sound a little similar using the classic ‘Live’ formula of acoustic verse to a guitar heavy chorus and back again to an acoustic verse blah blah blah. Not the most original of ‘Live’ albums but nevertheless a damn good record anyway. If you are new to the band then I would recommend first trying out the 1994 album ‘Throwing Copper’.

So to summarise...music good, lyrics good, live good, cd good, buy good, leave, DAMNED STUPID!!