I’ve got mixed feelings about the Wreckers’ new CD/DVD release titled- Way Back Home: Live From New York City. I’m a big fan of their debut album but I’m not totally sure if this new live recording was really necessary. I’ve always considered live albums the domain of bands and artists with large back catalogues and “must-see” live shows. Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp have neither. they’ve only got the one album to draw songs from and as for their live act, frankly, they’re ..um, unremarkable. live albums from legacy artists like Genesis, James Taylor and Paul McCartney are to be expected but for a band like the Wreckers, it’s just the marketing/sales department out to milk the fans. I’m sure fans appreciate an official document of the duo playing at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City but this CD/DVD won’t win over any new ones. the captured performance starts out pretty weak with Harp, Branch and the band not really gelling until the fifth song in the set. the initial songs are marred with off-key harmonies and the band overwhelming the lead vocals at certain points. in fact, the overall mix sounds like they simply made the CDs right off the soundboard feed with no post-production clean up whatsoever. I’m all for keeping it real and all but for this type of pop-country, one expects to hear a more polished sounding recording than something more akin to a bootleg. it’s a stark contrast when compared to what these same songs sounded like on their studio album. essentially what we have here are inferior versions of songs from their one lone album. .. and who really wants to pay for that? the DVD fares a bit better than the CD since the visuals mask some of what’s lacking in the performance. So to sum up - the new live album by the Wreckers is strictly for fans only.
TrackList: 1. The Good Kind
2. Love Me Like That
3. Way Back Home
4. Damn That Radio
5. Crazy People
6. Cigarettes
7. My, Oh My
8. Different Truck, Same Loser
9. Tennessee
10. Lay Me Down
11. Leave The Pieces
12. Stand Still, Look Pretty
13. Rain
I have to agree, some bands should never release a live album. Yet I like listening to the live recordings at least once. That doesn’t mean I would buy it, but if given the opportunity I will at least listen to most live albums.
Being an ex-semiprofessional musician, I listen to see how good the musicians really are. Today’s technology can make just about anyone sound good in the studio. To me at least, real test is how they sound live - especially if they use acoustic instruments. I’m strange that way. For me, it’s all about the music. All the lighting, pyrotechnics and gimmicks are great if the music’s great. But if the band can’t play…
PD Warrior on 21 Feb 2008 at 7:02 am #
I have to agree, some bands should never release a live album. Yet I like listening to the live recordings at least once. That doesn’t mean I would buy it, but if given the opportunity I will at least listen to most live albums.
Being an ex-semiprofessional musician, I listen to see how good the musicians really are. Today’s technology can make just about anyone sound good in the studio. To me at least, real test is how they sound live - especially if they use acoustic instruments. I’m strange that way. For me, it’s all about the music. All the lighting, pyrotechnics and gimmicks are great if the music’s great. But if the band can’t play…
By the way, great site!
retroBlog » recent reviews on 25 Mar 2008 at 12:54 pm #
[...] The Wreckers - Way Back Home - just the marketing/sales department out to milk the fans! [...]