post reviews for SFBM here Options

[jbk]

Norwegian reviews more or less slaugther the album. And I totally agree! Ed sings like a cheesy girl, castratet. The songs are totally fillers for a bad album. well a few of the reviews sais a 3 of six. but more or less nothing to by! Hopefully they consentrate on old songs on the upcoming shows!!

http://pub.tv2.no/nettavisen/side2/musikk/...ticle608092.ece
"the only thing that can be worse than this is to hear Live live.."

[Soxwsc]

If they concentrated on just the older songs at their shows, I'd have no interest whatsoever in seeing them live. Don't live in the freakin past. Try to give this album some time, it requires some attention and getting to know the lyrics and music. At first all the songs sounded the same, but now they're all different and all great.. and Ed sounds amazing on this album, you must have really bad speakers! Now I can say there's a handful of songs on this album that actually move me and have that same magic as the tracks on TDTH, SS, and TC.

[sherocker]

I think that's very well put

[serene23]

I think that's very well put

Despite having really cheesy lyrics, "Show" and "Sophia" are still great songs, as is "Night of Nights", the others, eh, average. I hope they do get a bit experimental in the future.

[Maggie]

I thought this review from Musica describes the mood and sound of the album perfectly:

"Fed up with the global climate of post-9/11 paranoia Ed Kowalczyk leads his band of believers on a journey back to rediscover “classic rock” liberation, mixing heartfelt critiques of the war on terror (“Home”) with gorgeously melodic ballads (“Wings”) and funky guitar grooves (“Sofia”), upbeat idealistic declarations of “faith” (“Love Shines”), celebrations of love (“The River”) and the joys of simply living in the moment (“Get Ready”)."

SFBM is the number two bestseller on both Kalahari.net and Take2 online stores in SA. Not to bad I think...

[wynken_de]

I just found this review form a Finnish website dna.fi and translated it for you to read. It's not a very praising one, but nothing new there then... The album got 2½ stars.

“The American rock band Live was founded 15 years ago. The band’s debut album Mental Jewelry got plenty appreciation and its follower Throwing Copper reached number one on Billbroad 52 weeks after it was published. The record sold 12 million copies, mainly thanks to the single Selling the Drama. The new album was produced by Jim Wirt, whose production has been also heard on Incubus’ and Hoobastank’s records.

The rugged promo photos and the poetically beautiful sleeve picture create an image of pompous and deep-minded release. The illusion breaks already during the naïve grumbling of the first song The River, which was also released as a single. The singer Ed Kowalczyk loads such “Oh Baby’s” that an innocent listener gets unavoidably dizzy. The contrast between the front cover and the music pushes the listener between the tree and the bark to wonder the fragility of life.

After The River the songs’ ideas remain almost all the time in the pathos of mystical and greater-than-life-love, and in the end it transforms into a bunch of nonsense sentences. Coming from adults, this kind of words are embarrassingly cliché, but I suppose someone actually needs this, especially when the conservative music behind the lyrics is calculated to least annoy the great masses. It is sad to realize that the band, who in its better days released the bold single Lakini’s Juice, has fallen into this grey area, from where it’s very hard to climb back to the group of the very few bands who have personality.

At his best, Ed Kowalczyk is a sympathetic vocalist, whose tender voice also has weirdly fascinating vibration to it. Unfortunately Ed cannot save the unity alone and especially not with this kind of material. To be frank, Songs from the Black Mountain is a numbing cluster of professionally made crap. And that’s about where it ends. Live has lowered itself to the level of basic bands, where one doesn’t find the Throwing Copper type masterpieces. It’s a bloody shame this has happened. Right now, I must start listening to Selling the Drama, I Alone and other classics to wipe out this disappointment from my mind.”

[NectarDan]

To be frank, Songs from the Black Mountain is a numbing cluster of professionally made crap.

I would indeed say he is being frank with that kind of comment.

[Nobody Knows]

http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/live/so...-black-mountain

http://www.platomania.nl/maniagenre.asp?cd...latomanianr=215

http://www.planet.nl/planet/show/id=74766/...01658/sc=7c29ac

just got some, in Dutch tho, coz we are the real no.1 fans....

All of those reviews are damn negative, and all i say is:

TRUE!

[Lively Chick]

It is sad to realize that the band, who in its better days released the bold single Lakini’s Juice, has fallen into this grey area, from where it’s very hard to climb back to the group of the very few bands who have personality.

At his best, Ed Kowalczyk is a sympathetic vocalist, whose tender voice also has weirdly fascinating vibration to it. Unfortunately Ed cannot save the unity alone and especially not with this kind of material. To be frank, Songs from the Black Mountain is a numbing cluster of professionally made crap. And that’s about where it ends. Live has lowered itself to the level of basic bands, where one doesn’t find the Throwing Copper type masterpieces. It’s a bloody shame this has happened. Right now, I must start listening to Selling the Drama, I Alone and other classics to wipe out this disappointment from my mind.”

Damn, its harsh and sad but ehhhhhh, i kinda agree.....

[Senghe]

Anybody seen any UK reviews? I didn't bother looking as the UK music press hates Live with a vengeance anyway. I think only TDTH ever got a half decent reception.

[LiveRoCkS77]

http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/live/so...-black-mountain

http://www.platomania.nl/maniagenre.asp?cd...latomanianr=215

http://www.planet.nl/planet/show/id=74766/...01658/sc=7c29ac

just got some, in Dutch tho, coz we are the real no.1 fans....

All of those reviews are damn negative, and all i say is:

TRUE!

Can all you monkey spankers post this shit in ENGLISH so I can fucking read it? Who the fuck reads Dutch or Norweigan? Everybody knows they aren't real languages anyhow. Fucking useless crap.

[LiveRoCkS77]

Anybody seen any UK reviews? I didn't bother looking as the UK music press hates Live with a vengeance anyway. I think only TDTH ever got a half decent reception.

And who cares about the U-fucking-K? I'll call you when I want a spot of tea and some fucking crumpets!

[Tabucky]

Can all you monkey spankers post this shit in ENGLISH so I can fucking read it? Who the fuck reads Dutch or Norweigan? Everybody knows they aren't real languages anyhow. Fucking useless crap.

[NectarDan]

Can all you monkey spankers post this shit in ENGLISH so I can fucking read it?

Here is a rough translation of the "KindaMuzik" review...
____________________________________

The tale can be confessed. In the shade of nirvana's Nevermind and Pearl Jam's at link breaks through live with the then still fresh and raw sounding Throwing by in 92 the Yorkse. The beginning of a success tale which does not know his weerga and even up to present continues. Live, as it happens, a figured out mix of middle-of-the-road bring rocksongs and popballads, decorated with the necessary drama and pathos. The world swallows it as a sweet wafer and finds massively the way to the plate matter, concerts and muziekfestivals. Last mentioned proves to be for Ed and the zijnen the ideal platform for the large gesture. Musical is tried detect there however less and less large gestures. Especially since V, with then monsterhit and tearjerker ` Overcome, live the way of the lowest capacitance has seemed choose.

Songs from Black Mountain has been taken in association with producer Jim Wirt (Incubus, Hoobastank). According to their official Internet site live the songs for an album has taken no longer this way fast since Throwing by. It is a flinterdunne resemblance: Songs from Black Mountain lacks the rauwheid and spontaneousness which that album exhales in all tone-toonaarden. In comparison with predecessor Birds or Pray songs from Black Mountain lets hear a more accessible sound. Striking thereby the multiple use of the acoustic jet ear and the fact are that Ed Kowalczyk entirely are responsible for the songmateriaal. Also a clear difference is the summary use of tests. A ham mouth organ whispers softly in the verte, but much larger are not its role. Stringarrangementen are on the other hand in abundance present, the pathetiek still to what extra body to give.

Songs with head and tail therefore, according to approved recipe. Sometimes considerable songfestivalgehalte have it, like in ` Mistery, but still know Ed and are companen how they must write a catching song. More open ` The River is immediately also the first single, which was already multiple on the radio stations the previous weeks to hear. Still the need is spread out the message of peace concerning the world from present. ` we will property the power to do the good and the true/This are the hour ', preach father Ed in ` Get ready '. The remainder lies with regard to sound and songstructuur considerable in each other's extension and the numbers clock everyone neat three up to four minutes. ` All I Need are a nice attempt to what variatie in the songmateriaal to bring. Varying half-measure rhythms in clincher ` Night or Nights belongs to however forced and leads eventually nowhere.

You V and Birds or Pray found still worth it, then you can buy this plate with a rested heart. Be you after Secret Samadhi or The Distance to complete pulled out, stay away then especially. The end of the eenvormigheid is not, as it happens, still long in visibility. On the contrary, with songs from Black Mountain it seems further gone then ever.

[NectarDan]

Here is a rough translation of the "platomania" review...
_______________________________________

It is easy critical have on live: the link copies for years its own sound on every new plate and the zanger loses itself too frequently in its own claims. Toch absolutely no postgrungeband have this way long the attention large publicly fixed being possible as live love that has done. It seems that songs From Black Mountain will bring no change in this situation, also already the link has changed to another plate society and speaks Ed Kowalczyk for several reasons for a new beginning. From the first to the last note this, as it happens, typical live-plaat are full melodious rocksongs, massive refrains and semi-spirituele texts. Tying up topic the muze, the inspiration source for all art, have been personified in the conformation of the woman, if I understand Ed at least well. The result can there best be, because the songs lies one after the other well in the interview. As well as on Throwing by it never more, but songs From Black Mountain to be probably contained, however, a complete number of potential live-favorieten, such as first single The River, the beautiful ballad Get Ready and Night or Nights. The fans are able be more than satisfied.