Let's face it: one of the reasons why
rock
bootlegs, despite their illegality, exist (and will no doubt continue to exist for many years to come) is because so many rockers never record live albums. A rocker's truly hardcore fans cannot be satisfied having studio recordings alone, and in many cases, bootlegs are the only place to hear recordings of the artist performing live. But an absence of legal, commercially available live recordings is not a problem for
Flickerstick
, who came out with
Causing a Catastrophe -- Live
in 2002 and
Live from Atlanta
in 2007. Longtime fans have been debating the merits of the two live albums; both have their charms, and while
isn't perfect (neither was
), it is still a generally respectable document of
on-stage. The surprising thing about
is the fact that it isn't just a "play the hits for the fans"-type affair. Sure, there are inspired performances of
favorites such as the melancholy
"Sorry...Wrong Trajectory"
and the dark-humored yet poignant
"Chloroform the One You Love."
But many of the songs are previously unreleased. Instead of using the studio to unveil new material,
use a live album to do it -- which is rare but not unprecedented -- and most of the new songs are well-crafted examples of their melodic, introspective approach to
alternative pop/rock
.
also contains a new studio recording: a likable, catchy
Beatlesque
rocker titled
"Helicopter."
But the live performances are, of course, the main reason to obtain this 60-minute CD, which serious
aficionados will enjoy, imperfections and all. ~ Alex Henderson