Product Description

Throughout much of the '90s, Live has been tabbed to inherit the serious rock mantle from R.E.M. and U2. On their fourth album, the four childhood friends continue down this path as they once again don their hair-shirts of tortured introspection and inquisitiveness. Former Talking Head Jerry Harrison returns behind the board after previous production stintson MENTAL JEWELERY and THROWING COPPER. As was the case on these previous Live albums, Harrison harnesses the band's chemistry in a way that reinforces frontman Ed Kowalczyk's weighty lyrics.
Kowalczyk howls with controlled ferocity as he sings about various spiritual quests that occur via Western ("The Distance") and Eastern ("Meltdown") doctrines of religion. Guitarist Chad Taylor fuels this fervour with unbridled fury on the tempestuous "We Walk in the Dream" and the roiling "Sun". Live even updates its meat-and-potatoes instrumental setup by adding a dollop of loops to the already enticing "Voodoo Lady". For as much unchecked passion that this Pennsylvania quartet can muster, the band also demonstrates an uncanny mastery of dynamics, whether it's on the torturedgusto of "When Dolphins Cry" or the gorgeous ethereality of"We Walk in the Dream".

Track Listing

1. The Dolphin's Cry
2. The Distance
3. Sparkle
4. Run To The Water
5. Sun
6. Voodoo Lady
7. Where Fishes Go
8. Face & Ghost (The Children's Song)
9. Feel The Quiet River Rage
10. Meltdown
11. They Stood Up For Love
12. We Walk In The Dream
13. Dance With You

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #54707 in Music
• Released on: 1999-10-04
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 56 minutes

Customer Reviews

One of the best albums EVER!!!
This was my first Live album, bought for me by my (then) boyfriend, and I just fell in love with every single track. To this day, I still don't get tired of hearing it from start to finish. I have listened to this album throughout the last 8 or so years of my life, so the tracks hold a lot of memories for me of occasions when the album was playing with all my friends around, relationships starting and finishing etc. I love this album and have been to see the band live twice in the last couple of years - they did not dissapoint!!

13 great 'Live' tracks that are sure to please any fan.
The year of 1999 saw the release of the Pennsylvanian rock band Live’s fourth album release, with “The Distance To Here.” Containing thirteen tracks of ‘alternative’ rock constructed through melodic layers using the collective talent of the band to produce such creative tracks. Edward Kowalczyk’s vocals are up to the usual high standard we have come to expect from him.

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’.

Well inspiring!
I bought this album when it first came out after hearing 'Run to the water' thinking what a song! It was just the tip of the iceburg of a cool rock album (sorry for the pun)! The lyrics are so unusually alternative that it doesn't seem to fit but they do somehow. For all the guitarists out there there is such a degree of versatility in the playing that makes the hairs stand up on your neck before you finally float back down. 'Voodoo lady' is the power anthem of the record. Its all finished off with 'Dance with you', quite a beautifully haunting little ballad leaving such an after taste that the whole album has to be admired over and over again. I highly recommend this piece of mastery and hope to hear more from the boys in the future! Keep it up chaps!