Reviews of "Alive" from media, Post reviews here Options

[livefan1999]

Ed Kowalczyk has, from their earliest days, been the voice, the lyricist and the soul in front of what was, effectively, a backing band. - Zane Henry

This might be Zane Henry's opinon and perhaps other listeners. However, as evidenced by the discussion here, I think the true followers of Live have to recognize what an important role all members of the band had in the direction each of their songs took.

Ed has often admitted in recent interviews of what an important role the musicisnw with whom he is playing have in the arrangements of their songs. He has said that with reference to Live, the studio musicians used on Alive and the current band members who are on tour with him. Each musicisn brings in the strengths of his particular instrument and how it will affect the overall sound. I have never gotten the impression that Ed felt his bandmates in Live were just a backing group.

Live has always served up on stage the tightest, energy-driven performances one could hope for. I have always felt that they lived up to their name with their "live" performances and that all of their individual skills played an important role in that overall sound. I have gone to many concerts where there was no comparison on stage to what was on that group's cd. Their polished cd's made their stage performances always seem to show that their talents needed the efforts of a good studio producer/engineer to give them their full sound. Live always came across on stage with the same intensity and class as they did in their recordings.

[maccaz69]

This might be Zane Henry's opinon and perhaps other listeners. However, as evidenced by the discussion here, I think the true followers of Live have to recognize what an important role all members of the band had in the direction each of their songs took.

Ed has often admitted in recent interviews of what an important role the musicisnw with whom he is playing have in the arrangements of their songs. He has said that with reference to Live, the studio musicians used on Alive and the current band members who are on tour with him. Each musicisn brings in the strengths of his particular instrument and how it will affect the overall sound. I have never gotten the impression that Ed felt his bandmates in Live were just a backing group.

Live has always served up on stage the tightest, energy-driven performances one could hope for. I have always felt that they lived up to their name with their "live" performances and that all of their individual skills played an important role in that overall sound. I have gone to many concerts where there was no comparison on stage to what was on that group's cd. Their polished cd's made their stage performances always seem to show that their talents needed the efforts of a good studio producer/engineer to give them their full sound. Live always came across on stage with the same intensity and class as they did in their recordings.

I do think this is an over-exaggeration! The rest were much more than a backing band...while on the other hand ed was more than just 1/4 of the band. Its a difficult thing to determine because initially they probably were all equal whereas from TDTH on it was predominately ed. Ed also developed lightning crashes almost solely and this is what most people remember live for so in that respect he "was" live. I think most people would suggest TC & TDTH were the best of live and one was pretty much a band effort, one was more of an ed effort so I think it has to be somewhere inbetween.

Also from posts earlier about people not liking ed's voice...well I don't know anyone who like's live and doesn't like his voice...at least the albums anyway. His voice can struggle out of a studio a bit but so do most artists-in the studio his voice is as good as any but also has the ability to set a band totally apart from any other by being totally unique. Hard to hear ed and not realise who it is!

[SJN1279]

Also from posts earlier about people not liking ed's voice...well I don't know anyone who like's live and doesn't like his voice...at least the albums anyway. His voice can struggle out of a studio a bit but so do most artists-in the studio his voice is as good as any but also has the ability to set a band totally apart from any other by being totally unique. Hard to hear ed and not realise who it is!

The last few years Ed's voice has been stronger than it has ever been in concert. He struggled with with vocals in 2004-2007, but since then very few problems at all.

[Aitkens]

The last few years Ed's voice has been stronger than it has ever been in concert. He struggled with with vocals in 2004-2007, but since then very few problems at all.

Could it be that he's finally put his gay falsetto back into the closet?

[OutToDry]

I'll believe it when I hear it. Someone post a ROIO of that England show. Need to hear it.

By the way Nick, DMDP, your thoughts? We all want to know.

[ItchyTriggerFinger]

I'll believe it when I hear it. Someone post a ROIO of that England show. Need to hear it.

By the way Nick, DMDP, your thoughts? We all want to know.

Who is we? I have no interest in Nick's thoughts on DMDP. I buried the dead horse months ago just so people would stop beating it.

[livefan1999]

I don't know much about the site where this was posted, Torrents. Best I can gather on it is that the site's bloggers are offering downloads of recordings/videos. In this case, it's Ed's video, Grace. The blogger posting this link to Grace posted this writeup. Maybe it has been posted elsewhere and is copied from that original posting:

Source: TV

File Info:

Video: MPEG-2 video , 720x480, 29.97 fps, VBR (Constant quality), Maximum 6124 Kb/s
Audio: Dolby Digital, 48000 Hz, Stereo, 448 kbps


"Grace" is the first single by former Live lead singer Ed Kowalczyk from his debut solo album Alive.

Alive is the debut solo album by former Live lead singer Ed Kowalczyk.

Kowalczyk entered the studio in early 2010 to record material that he began writing in 2008. In writing material for Alive, Kowalczyk sat with an acoustic guitar and began writing lyrics and melodies that he felt moved by, a process which was similar to how he wrote when he was in Live.

The lyrics on Alive feature much religious and spiritual imagery. Kowalczyk's acknowledgement of his faith is much more explicit on this album than it was on his work with Live. The album entered Billboard's Christian Albums Chart at number 6.

The album is a major hit in The Netherlands, debuting at number 4 on the Dutch album chart. It has also charted in the US, Belgium and Australia.

Edward Joel Kowalczyk (born July 16, 1971) is the former lead singer of the band Live. Since Live disbanded, he has launched a solo career. His first album, Alive, was released worldwide in June and July 2010.

Ed Kowalczyk was the lead singer and primary songwriter for the band Live.

Kowalczyk has worked with musicians Stuart Davis and Glen Ballard as well as singers Anouk, Neneh Cherry and Adam Duritz of Counting Crows. He featured on the Tricky song "Evolution Revolution Love," from the 2001 album Blowback.

In 2008 Kowalczyk appeared in a video with will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas, John Legend, Scarlett Johansson and rapper Nick Cannon, supporting US Presidential candidate Barack Obama. He has also appeared at campaign rallies for Obama with will.i.am.

He grew up in York, Pennsylvania of Polish decent and attended William Penn Senior High School in the York City School District, where he met the other three members of what would become Live. His father was a teacher at the local High School (Northeastern).

His younger brother Adam Kowalczyk toured with Live, playing rhythm guitar and providing backing vocals.

He appeared in the David Fincher film Fight Club as a waiter, his only film acting credit to date.


My Videos:

http://thepiratebay.org/user/2nafish/

This post has been edited by livefan1999: Aug 27 2010, 12:30 pm

[mikkel]

Just got my rocksound mag in the mailbox, it got the following review of Ed's Alive (I'll type it over, as it's not put on the website):

Ed Kowalczyk - 'ALIVE' [1]
(Edel / Earmusic)

Just looking at the titles on this, Ed Kowalczyk's debut solo album, you can tell that he's a very deep and soulful man. There's 'Drive', 'The Great Beyond', 'Zion' and 'Fire On The Mountain'. Try whispering those names to yourself, preferably in the same gravelly, yet sensitive voice that the man himself would use. Now clench your fists and maybe close your eyes while imagining the guy from Counting Crows pulling out some 'licks' behind you. It's beautiful isn't it? It's hard to see why Ed fell out whit his old band, Live, over money. He could clearly pick up a mint from Gilette voiceovers anytime he wants.

FOR FANS OF: Counting Crows, Matchbox 20, Live
www.edkowalczyk.com
Trevor Baker

[Pokey]

Who is we? I have no interest in Nick's thoughts on DMDP. I buried the dead horse months ago just so people would stop beating it.

I don't care what his thoughts are. I can guess though. I more care that he has thoughts on it. It's the fact he seemingly doesn't give a damn,it is a pretty significant thing for the band to surface and for someone that spruiks live so much you'd think he'd be all over it guess not. Oh well.

[+Ed+]

Try whispering those names to yourself,

drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiive

doesn't work...

[+Ed+]

Try whispering those names to yourself,

drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiive

doesn't work...

[Wambangalang]

.

[Hoodstock]

drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiive

doesn't work...

.

drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiive

doesn't work...

Third times' a charm!

[LazyRocker]

Check LazyRocker.com for the complete review!


12-Jul-10 - Well, this is the first Monday with a normal temperature after weeks filled with a lot of heat waves and the day after (and this is even much harder to swallow) the Netherlands losing the World Cup Soccer Final. But now it’s time to go back to the real world and report you about an album that’s already available in your record store. That’s what happens if you watch too much soccer on TV… great albums are released and pass you by without a warning. One of these releases is the new album of ex-Live front man Ed Kowalczyk. Ex-Live? Yes, the band split up in 2009. Ed Kowalczyk went solo and the other band members started a band called The Gracious Few.

The first thing that strikes me is the title of the album. “Alive”… the link to the past is quickly made. This choice of the album title didn’t need to be that obvious if you ask me. Everybody knows that Live was Ed Kowalczyk. So how does the new album sound? Will it sound completely different than Live?? No, don’t worry. Kowalczyk does on “Alive” where he’s best in. Writing energetic, melodic alternative rock songs about faith, love, children and the elements of nature…. It could have been a Live album I think, although the songs on “Alive” sound more melodic than during the Live-era. The tracks are from high quality and remind me to the “Distance To Here” period (which I think is the best Live album together with Throwing Copper). If you take a listen to the third album track and also the first single “Grace” you know what I mean. Soft acoustic beginning followed by a powerful energetic chorus. The typical Live… No, the typical Ed Kowalczyk sound is also on great songs like the opener “Drive”, “Stand”, the brilliant “In Your Light”, “Just In Time” and the best track on the album “Fire On The Mountain”. Usually I try to tell you something about every track on the album, but doing this for “Alive” would be boring.
Kowalczyk wrote all the tracks himself except for “Drink (everlasting love)” that was co-written with Chris Daughtry and for “Grace” and “Stand” co-written with Gregg Wattenberg.

On the deluxe edition you will find a bonus dvd with a video of “Grace” and acoustic versions of “Just In Time”, “Zion”, “The Great Beyond” and “Drink (everlasting love)”.

All I can say is that Ed Kowalczyk made a damn good first solo record… full with new classic rock songs. Also compliments to producer CJ Eiriksson (U2 and Matchbox 20) and Gregg Wattenberg (Train, Eve 6 and Five For Fighting) who made “Alive” one smooth ride. If you are one of the 22 million people that bought a Live album in the past you can order this album without listening first. You won’t be disappointed.

[Aitkens]

Check LazyRocker.com for the complete review!
12-Jul-10 - Well, this is the first Monday with a normal temperature after weeks filled with a lot of heat waves and the day after (and this is even much harder to swallow) the Netherlands losing the World Cup Soccer Final. But now it’s time to go back to the real world and report you about an album that’s already available in your record store. That’s what happens if you watch too much soccer on TV… great albums are released and pass you by without a warning. One of these releases is the new album of ex-Live front man Ed Kowalczyk. Ex-Live? Yes, the band split up in 2009. Ed Kowalczyk went solo and the other band members started a band called The Gracious Few.

The first thing that strikes me is the title of the album. “Alive”… the link to the past is quickly made. This choice of the album title didn’t need to be that obvious if you ask me. Everybody knows that Live was Ed Kowalczyk. So how does the new album sound? Will it sound completely different than Live?? No, don’t worry. Kowalczyk does on “Alive” where he’s best in. Writing energetic, melodic alternative rock songs about faith, love, children and the elements of nature…. It could have been a Live album I think, although the songs on “Alive” sound more melodic than during the Live-era. The tracks are from high quality and remind me to the “Distance To Here” period (which I think is the best Live album together with Throwing Copper). If you take a listen to the third album track and also the first single “Grace” you know what I mean. Soft acoustic beginning followed by a powerful energetic chorus. The typical Live… No, the typical Ed Kowalczyk sound is also on great songs like the opener “Drive”, “Stand”, the brilliant “In Your Light”, “Just In Time” and the best track on the album “Fire On The Mountain”. Usually I try to tell you something about every track on the album, but doing this for “Alive” would be boring.
Kowalczyk wrote all the tracks himself except for “Drink (everlasting love)” that was co-written with Chris Daughtry and for “Grace” and “Stand” co-written with Gregg Wattenberg.

On the deluxe edition you will find a bonus dvd with a video of “Grace” and acoustic versions of “Just In Time”, “Zion”, “The Great Beyond” and “Drink (everlasting love)”.

All I can say is that Ed Kowalczyk made a damn good first solo record… full with new classic rock songs. Also compliments to producer CJ Eiriksson (U2 and Matchbox 20) and Gregg Wattenberg (Train, Eve 6 and Five For Fighting) who made “Alive” one smooth ride. If you are one of the 22 million people that bought a Live album in the past you can order this album without listening first. You won’t be disappointed.