Listen to sample clips from Live's new album Options

[brandedwendy]

My 2 cents

well, the couple of tracks I heard sounds pretty much promising
with as a really big bonus "Show" which is by far already my favorite track of the album!

Havent hread all the snippets, I dont want to, otherwise the album wont be asuprise anymore, I am teting my willpower.

The river, I agree on the LALALA-bit, it's too much, catchy song though

Mystery, WIngs, Sofia, Where do we go from here, Home and You are not alone, havent heard it

Get ready: hey, I like this song acoustic, probably cause it sounds laid back, relaxed, not as poppy

Show: as I said, by far my favorite, I love this one, really like I do-ish, catchy, nice lyric, good music!

Love shines: catchy....gotta give it a couple of listens before I can provide a verdict on this one

All I need: well it has a catchy vibe to it, gotta give this one a few listen to, has a somewhat "sweet release" vibe. I like the chorus

Night of nights: am certainly surprised by this song, didnt expect this to be on this disk, but I like it a lot. Got stuck in my head immediately.... really SS-ish sound to it... big thumbsup on this one.


Overall, as far as I have heard them, that is, I kinda like the album so far. Seems to me their sound has changed, but not as awfull as I expected by some of the reviews out there...
We'll see.... maybe in a couple of weeks time it will be locked in my cdplayer...hopefully it does...

[LiveRoCkS77]

The strings in Mystery are horrible.

Wow, they fucked Mystery over horribly...Oh my god.

Still think Love Shines is far and away the best song on the cd. Night of nights has a different sound to it too but doesn't really belong at the end of the cd behind whatever those two 80's songs are before it.

Don't see any resemblence to V though. Whoever said that should lay off the crack. But it is more poppish then I first thought too. I think I stand by my original statement though that it sounds kind of folkish to me at points. I really don't know what to make of it.

[Pokey]

It does sound pretty damn catchy I must admit .. I can see myself listening to this heaps when it comes out, but it then growing thin after awhile. It's a bit hard to judge though because the speakers on this computer are completely horrible. Guess time will tell the tale when it comes to it's longevity.

the strings on mystery make it sound like a dance track .. but then again .. could be the speakers .. it certainly doesn't seem to add anything to the song.

Home I stick by my claim that it's the worst Live song ever made.

All I need sounds very .. I dunno, the keyboards sound like they should be on a NES game.

Wings just sounds .. very very Live. I can honestly see this song being the theme song of some "Dawson's creek" type high school drama show .. honestly, picture this as the credits run showing pictures of student's faces with the words "james van de beek" next to it. .. actually, don't.

Love Shines is just ridiculous. There is no doubt he is singing it to his daughters, it sounds like it's aiming at 6yr olds.

But overall it does sound pretty catchy and fun ... but there is nothing that's making me go "holy fuck, I can't wait until this is released!" But yeah, overall so far it's not as bad as I imagined

This post has been edited by Pokey: Mar 18 2006, 4:44 pm

[LiveattheOasis]

Mystery's strings are sounding better and better to me.

[FishOutaWater]

These clips sound fantastic. I am very pleasantly surprised. Anyone who said that Live has become simple and uninspired should apologize right now. These song clips sound nothing like what I expected, especially considering all of the whining and complaining and criticism from everyone who supposedly thought that they heard the final version of the album already. And let's not forget that we are listening to 30 second clips of songs for the first time. You have to listen to most albums in whole many times before they start to sink in.

I think the problem that we have here is over analysis by a bunch of people who have formed premature negative opinions based on rough cuts and concert bootlegs that you have heard. Let's face it. That's no way to be introduced to an album to apreciate its artistic value and appeal. That's probably not how you were introduced to TC or SS. Just listen to these clips for what they are worth. They are rich and deep and inspired and beautiful and interetsing and artistic and they are about love and spirit. This is a real good reflection of what Live is.

Ed's voice sounds reinvented on this album. The strings and drums are great. The sound is different for Live yet again. They never cease to amaze me. The band and its label are really psyched about the album. And damn it, I am too and I think every Live fan should be. You complainers who like to bash everything since V may hate to admit it, but Live has really put forth an incredible album here. But those who like to complain will still complain...

[torcatofan]

I know they are only 30 second clips, but I think Show will be the best song on the album, which doesn't say much. I don't think it's better than any of the 4 or 5 best songs on Throwing Copper, Secret Samadhi, or The Distance to Here. Seems like there are an increasing number of filler tracks on Live's albums. There were a couple on TDTH...almost all of V was...three or four on Birds of Pray...and about half of this album will be filler tracks. Overall impression so far: it's okay.

[serene23]

) The River - Okay, guitars up versio is better
2) Mystery - eh, not too sure about this one.
3) Get Ready - Sounds okay, not killer, more filler
4) Show- Sounds really good
5) Wings - Could also be a great one.
6) Sofia - I like this but the bootleg live version sounded better
7) Love Shines - EH
8) Where Do We Go From Here?- Okay
9) Home- Not as bad as people had said, but eh
10) All I Need - hmmm, 80's ish
11) You Are Not Alone - eh
12) Night Of Nights- Sounds very good.

[fonzyg]

to me these songs sound fresh and inspired. I haven't been this psyched for a new live album since TDTH. Also, remember that these are 30 second clips of songs. I'm thinking that this album will rank 3rd in the pecking order (Behind TDTH and TC) for me. But who knows, my opinion couuld change, for better or worse, once i hear the entire thing.

[DesertWater]

I'm going to hold out from listening to the 30 sec. tid-bits until the album comes out because I do like the feeling of buying a fresh album (not a vegetable...fresh) and am in anticipation of waiting to see what the record offers. However, I have heard the concert songs and Show was my favorite, and it seems like it will still be. Nights of nights sounds really promising and I liked Mets Get Ready cover a lot... we will see I guess.

It does sound like this will be my fifth favorite album, which doesn't mean it will be bad. The first four were unbelievable. Especially MJ and SS!

This post has been edited by DesertWater: Mar 18 2006, 10:00 pm

[Wambangalang]

I actually caught a glimpse of the ed of old; on the clip of show there is a section where his voice sounds deep and very rocking just like it used to on TC, specifically the "...secret space, I say..." part. Have a listen.

the keyboards sound like they should be on a NES game

Ahh NES,......how I pine for you

[NectarDan]

In case anyone is interested, I have posted a mp3 of all of the samples below. Thanks to Bob Givnin of Washington for sending it to me.

[Pokey]

Sofia seems to suffer from what Life Marches On suffered from .. remember when we got our first listen of that song in late 2002 it sounded pretty good .. the guitars were really rip-roaring and it wild. The studio version was just toned down completely .. the guitar was just sounded like the same bit looped over and over, the little guitar "solo" in it was exactly the same as the verses yet the only difference was Ed wasn't singing .. in that early live version it had a much different sound.

The early live versions of Sofia seemed to have a much more aggressive guitar part, not only that but it sounded more like Taylor was just jamming and possibly every time he played it it'd sound slightly different, there were groovy little bits all over the place .. the studio version again seems toned down and like it's just been looped .. it'd just be nicer to have that guitar sound a little less "perfected" or something.

[SJN1279]

Seems like there are an increasing number of filler tracks on Live's albums. There were a couple on TDTH...almost all of V was...three or four on Birds of Pray...and about half of this album will be filler tracks.

In my opinion, Mental Jewelery was half filler tracks. After Mirror Song, the whole album is pretty much unlistenable for me. Throwing Copper has Horse, Waitress, Stage, and Dam at Otter Creek as tracks I just don't enjoy playing (save for a rare occasion). Also, I feel White Discussion is over-long and the worst single the band has ever released.
Secret Samadhi was the first album that I could listen to and enjoy every song all the way through. TDTH, V, and Birds of Pray are also albums were I enjoy listening to every song all the way through. From what I heard of Songs from Black Mountain, I don't hear one filler track, but thats just me.

To each his own.

This post has been edited by SJN1279: Mar 19 2006, 10:28 am

[flyersfan62379]

Ughh. Well. I maybe the only one, but I do not like what I am hearing. First of all, they all sound alike to me. Where's the risk? Where's the experimentation? What's different from the last album? Doesn't sound like much too me. It's also hard to tell through 30 second clips, but I've also heard 5 or 6 of the other tunes in concerts or through MP3s and am not thrilled.

The album sounds too "safe" to me. It's like the band has found this little comfortable spot musically where they are now accepted and are expected to make a certain brand of music and they will not budge. Sort of like a "C" student who has the potential to get the "A" but knows he's safe in his current role and doesn't strive to do anything different. That may not be the greatest analogy, but it's the first that comes to mind.

The Distance to Here is and always will be their most complete album. It had the perfect blend of happiness and a lighthearted feeling as well as a darkness that sat on an edge. Albums should not be duplicated and the same feeling should never be re-captured, but it should be re-visited and referred to and inspired from.

I'm a rock and roll guy and this to me isn't rock and roll coming from a supposed rock and roll band.

This post has been edited by flyersfan62379: Mar 19 2006, 11:41 am

[LiveRoCkS77]

In my opinion, Mental Jewelery was half filler tracks. After Mirror Song, the whole album is pretty much unlistenable for me. Throwing Copper has Horse, Waitress, Stage, and Dam at Otter Creek as tracks I just don't enjoy playing (save for a rare occasion). Also, I feel White Discussion is over-long and the worst single the band has ever released.
Secret Samadhi was the first album that I could listen to and enjoy every song all the way through. TDTH, V, and Birds of Pray are also albums were I enjoy listening to every song all the way through. From what I heard of Songs from Black Mountain, I don't hear one filler track, but thats just me.

To each his own.

Yes, to each his own I guess. But I have to comment on your opinion and say very simply that I think it sucks. White Discussion the worst single LIVE has ever made? There's a difference between songs being fillers and songs you don't enjoy listening to. Comparing Waitress, Stage and Dam At Otter Crrek to these songs is simply unbelieveable to me...no other way of putting it.

As for Mental Jewelry? After Mirror song come two of the best songs on the cd being MEIAVC and Peace is Now(10,000 years).

And Eamon, why is Love Shines ridiculous? After all, it is a song written for his children........so how does that make it being aimed at anything other then what it is? Something wrong with writing a song for his children? I'm sure he wrote it for that reason and not to say, "oh 6 year olds are going to love this!" I think your statement is what is ridiculous. You need to grow up and have some respect for the fact that the man is in love with his children. So what if they inspire him to make mushy music you can't relate to. At least have some fucking respect. Maybe when you grow up and have your own kids, you will see where he is coming from.

I sure as hell do. If I were an artist, I'd write about my girls too. I'd want to let the world know what angels they've been to me and how it makes my heart yearn for them by simply watching them sleep. Let people know how a smile or a simple glance can put me into another place that brings tears to my eyes. I can completely relate to how strongly he feels for his girls and it shows in his music. I just think that it's so overwhelming for him right now that he's not able to express it in words the way he maybe able to from another perspective. So it sounds simple and uncreative to some. But to me? It's very raw and powerful and I respect the man immensely for putting his bare thoughts about his love for them into his music.

You don't have to like it but you really should have some respect for it. I know I do. For I love my girls more then life itself. I love them more then I ever thought I could love anything and they have opened my eyes to many different aspects of what true love really means and feels like. My baby girl Kayla is my heart and soul and I love her beyond what I can explain to you. She is exhilirating and oh so precious and beautiful. I'm sure Ed feels much the same for his girls and I'm happy for him and his children that he can sing both for, and to them.

Sorry for another long post....

Good job Ed.