Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
After four studio albums, Ben Harper has finally released Live from Mars, his first official live set, a 25-song double-disc collection that surveys each of his four albums and adds a couple of well-executed, if not terribly inventive, covers. Disc one is electric and finds Harper and the Innocent Criminals tearing through their patented mix of rock, folk, soul and blues. Yet the solo acoustic disc two is the true prize, putting the spotlight squarely on Harper's incredibly agile, versatile and enormously moving voice. In this pared-down setting, Harper shows an uncanny ability to connect with his audience, offering one spellbinding performance after another. Culled from two years' worth of shows--no two songs are taken from the same concert--Live from Mars provides a welcome overview of Harper's many facets. --Marc Greilsamer
CD Description
Throughout the '90s, Ben Harper's blend of blues, funk, soul, and folk quietly earned him a hardcore following of diehard fans over the span of four studio albums. For the two-CD LIVE FROM MARS, Harper and his tight three-piece band the Innocent Criminals cull performances from a variety of concerts, featuring interesting arrangements and odd nuances applied to his best-known songs, along with an eclectic array of covers.
Armed with his hollow-neck '20s-era Weissenborn lap slide guitar, Harper rages throughout the plugged-in Disc One with highlights including the human-beat box-driven radio hit "Steal My Kisses", and the churning opening number "Glory & Consequence". "Burn One Down", a sprightly ode to herb, evokes Bob Marley's "Redemption Song", while a simmering "Sexual Healing" channels the spirit of Marvin Gaye. Unplugged and introspective, Disc Two overflows with Biblical metaphors captured in delicate numbers like "Waiting on An Angel","Power of the Gospel", and "In the Lord's Arms". Tying it all together is a heartfelt reading of the Verve's "The DrugsDon't Work", and the epic 10-minute closer "Like a King/I'll Rise", featuring lyrics borrowed from a Maya Angelou poem.