Live at the Paradiso - Amsterdam

I’ve heard of the band Live since I was in College.  Though I never got any of their CD’s or seen them live I enjoyed hearing them on the radio when they were played.  My wife had purchased some of their CD’s and once seen them live.  A couple of weeks ago I was listening to 100.3 FM The Sound and they played “Forever”, a new studio track included on their new live album.  I enjoyed the new track and since I didn’t mind having some Live music I decided to get the CD.

We downloaded the CD from Napster and had some trouble downloading the song, “Forever”.  After sending Napster an e-mail and receiving their response we got it to work.  The CD consists of 14 live tracks recorded at shows in the Netherlands on June 30 and July 3, 2008 and two new studio tracks.  Most of their live tracks are their well known hits such as “Selling the Drama”, “I Alone”, and “Overcome”.  Some weren’t so well known to me such as “Simple Creed” and “Operation Spirit”.  One live track is a cover of “I Walk the Line” though I think Live’s arrangement of it is original.  The audience at the Paradiso Amsterdam is featured prominently.  They sing many of the main chorus lines and they sound good.  They are especially featured on “Lightening Crashes” and “Dance with You”.  The crowd and live recording make songs sound differently from the studio recordings but still good.

The studio tracks come at the end: #15 and #16.  The last one, “Purifier” is a playful song that seems to be about cleansing sins.  Live’s songs often seem to contain quasi-religious and Medieval or Ancient World references.  This one also mentions “Vegas Baby Vegas.”  The instrument sounds seem to include a prominent harmonica.  It sounds different from the other songs, less epic and serious.  It’s a fun track, but the track that really makes the CD for me is the one before it, the other studio track, the one that caused me to get the CD.  “Forever” also seems different from the live tracks.  It has a faster rhythm, involves less shouting, and builds up slowly.  Its sound is minimal, almost acoustic, but it’s no less passionate.  I can relate to the lyrics especially lines such as “Keep holding my hand tonight as we face this furnace”, “we can run from this place or we can stand together in vain”, “I stay here with you ‘til the end of the storm”, and “trouble times, they will come.”  When I listen to this song I can’t focus on anything else.  This morning (Jan. 6) on the way to work, I was stressed and frustrated.  I missed the 7:20 am train because the parking machine wouldn’t take my money.  After paying with my credit card and catching the 7:40 am train, I listened to “Forever” and felt better.

I’ve known many songs that spoke to me at times in my life, times of transition or stress.  The Cure’s “Doing the Unstuck” and U2’s “Walk On” come to mind.  I think the songs of late 2008 and early 2009 are Hockey’s “Work” and Live’s “Forever”.  With all the “Lightning Crashes” “Selling the Drama” as we “Walk the Line”, Live gives us a “Simple Creed” to help us “Overcome.”