If Live Returned To Their Roots for the Next Album..., ...What "Roots" Should They Return To? Options

[edstipe]

This is purely hypothetical, because there is nothing to indicate that Live would ever try to return to any of their old styles again.

However, I have heard some discussion on this board in the past about Live returning to their "roots," and it got me thinking about what specific roots I would most like to see Live return to. Clearly, their first four albums were incredibly different stylistically from one to the next, so it would be hard to pinpoint any specific "style" of the band's early albums.

So, out of the four albums listed, which style would you most like to see Live return to someday?

(By the way, I cut it off with Secret Samadhi because, although I think TDTH is brilliant, I feel that it is their first record that is more a blending of previous styles than a new style altogether.)

[Alex]

Easy.

Put down the acoustic.

No falsetto.

Don't put the album's single as the first song. (The River, Heaven). You need a rocker or dramatic/show-opener-type-song to set the album's mood.

Who cares what the lyrics/sound/producer is, if they followed these three rules they would make their best album since TDTH...

Their best album since TDTH?

Carefully avoiding the fact that TDTH has The Dolphins Cry as the first song, contains a fair amount of falsetto, and definitely features the acoustic guitar.

It's bullshit anyway. There're no rules for making a good album, especially since in the end we're hoping for work that the old Live fan base will subjectively enjoy, regardless of artistic merit. (Though the old material was more original and better written, so perhaps subconciously they go hand in hand..)

And I completely disagree with needing a 'rocker' song to open the album. The vital element we're missing from Live's music isn't rock. It's passion. Live clearly doesn't rank high on the individual members priorities. Perhaps if it did; if they still felt they could induce change with their music, if Ed stepped aside from his parental 'look at my daughters!' mindset, if they set out to make their best work yet... for themselves, then maybe we would receive what most of the Live community wants.

Of course this is conjecture, but I feel it's more accurate than a few simple rules for making their best work post TDTH.

[PurdueSteve]

Their best album since TDTH?

Carefully avoiding the fact that TDTH has The Dolphins Cry as the first song, contains a fair amount of falsetto, and definitely features the acoustic guitar.

It's bullshit anyway. There're no rules for making a good album, especially since in the end we're hoping for work that the old Live fan base will subjectively enjoy, regardless of artistic merit. (Though the old material was more original and better written, so perhaps subconciously they go hand in hand..)

And I completely disagree with needing a 'rocker' song to open the album. The vital element we're missing from Live's music isn't rock. It's passion. Live clearly doesn't rank high on the individual members priorities. Perhaps if it did; if they still felt they could induce change with their music, if Ed stepped aside from his parental 'look at my daughters!' mindset, if they set out to make their best work yet... for themselves, then maybe we would receive what most of the Live community wants.

Of course this is conjecture, but I feel it's more accurate than a few simple rules for making their best work post TDTH.

I may need to go back and listen, but I'm pretty sure the majority of TDTH is recorded electric. A lot of is a very clean electric but nonetheless electric. Dance with you comes to mind. TDTH works really well played acoustically [per them doing all those acoustic shows during that era] but I think the bulk if not all of the album is electric.

Edit: Ok, I just did a quick check by quickly listening to each TDTH track, it made sure I heard the rhythm guitar in each song. WFG, F&G, FTQRR, and Meltdown are the only ones with standout acoustic. The other tracks may have some subtle acoustic but the prominent rhythm and lead guitars are electric.

This post has been edited by PurdueSteve: Jun 6 2008, 9:01 pm