Music Review by Bill Rendall

Throwing Copper - Live

"Live" would have to be the silliest name for a band since "The Band." The first time I heard Live was on an MTV Unplugged special following REM. I didn't realise that Live was the name of the band. I assumed that the subtitle "Live" on the TV screen was there to tell us that the anonymous band was playing live.

In the Unplugged concert their dynamic variation was outstanding. This was partly due to the fact that their drummer had a full kit and was playing them hard at times. Some bands enter into the Unplugged spirit more by using bongo drums instead of a rock drum kit or by using brushes instead of drumsticks. However, they did stick to acoustic guitars.

Some time later it occurred to me that Live might be the name of the band. I had a look in a record store and sure enough there was Live under "L" in the racks. I noticed the album Throwing Copper included many of the songs from the Unplugged concert so I bought it.

The opening track of Throwing Copper, 'The Dam at Otter Creek', is the weakest on the album and is not helped at all by a distorting effect on the vocals. Fortunately the rest of the album makes up for the bad start.

What Live really excel at is dynamic variation in their songs. Great examples are 'Selling the Drama' and 'I Alone' both of which contrast quiet verses with loud and heavy choruses.

'Lightning Crashes' is a slow elegy which highlights Ed Kowalczyk's emotional vocal technique. 'T.B.D' opens with a catchy bass line which is prominent throughout the song. The last listed song on the album is 'White Discussion.' This song also features a prominent bass and ends with some glorious mayhem. There is a hidden track at the end of the album which is an oddity because it sounds very country.

There are often religious references in Kowalczyk's lyrics. Live can be a bit preachy at times but their passion is a vital part of their music.

Despite their questionable choice of band name Live are now enjoying well deserved commercial success. It is heartening to see talent and good music being rewarded. Throwing Copper is the album that put the band's career into high gear and it gets my recommendation.