Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Heaven
2. She
3. Sanctity of Dreams
4. Run Away
5. Life Marches On
6. Like I Do
7. Sweet Release
8. Everytime I See Your Face
9. Lighthouse
10. River Town
11. Out to Dry
12. Bring the People Together
13. What Are We Fighting For?

Disc 2:

1. Selling the Drama [Limited Edition DVD]
2. Voodoo Lady [Limited Edition DVD]
3. Nobody Knows [Limited Edition DVD]
4. White, Discussion [Limited Edition DVD]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #111730 in Music
• Released on: 2003-05-20
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Enhanced, Limited Edition
• Dimensions: .24 pounds

Album Details
The Veteran Band Return to the Fray with an Album that Gets them Back to their Roots. The Set was Produced by Jim Wirt (Incubus, Something Corporate) and "Heaven" Leads off the Album and the Anticipated String of Singles. This Special Edition Includes a Bonus Dvd with Live Tracks Recorded During the the 2002 Pinkpop Festival in the Netherlands.

Amazon.com
Live was originally labeled the poor man's U2, thanks to their anthemic choruses and earnest spirituality. Unlike the Irish superstars, however, the Pennsylvania quartet have found what they're looking for on their sixth album. Singer and principal songwriter Ed Kowalczyk proclaims in "Heaven" that he not only has gotten his faith back, but also has seen God in his infant daughter and a sunset. Gooey sentiments, perhaps, but Kowalczyk delivers them with a sweet sincerity that delivers a solid psychic punch. The band seemed to have lost its way around the turn of the century by embroidering their trademark guitar-heavy sound with an abundance of frivolous loops, gadgetry, and gratuitous fretwork. This time out, they thankfully reverted back to basics, throwing out the trashy keyboards and again pounding out their rhythmically charged rock. Kowalczyk is also writing less ponderous lyrics. The singer has found his salvation in love, which has softened his stern demeanor and given his stream-of-consciousness songs a playful spin not heard before on a Live record. --Jaan Uhelszki

Customer Reviews

Their Second-Best Effort
I must say I was a little skeptical at first upon hearing Live had released a new album. V was, in my opinion, not only their worst album, but not a very good album by any standards. However, having bought Birds of Pray I can safely say that my confidence has been fully restored. Simply, I think this is their best effort since Throwing Copper, and that's saying something seeing I loved Secret Samadhi. The album is MUCH more guitar-based than the lame ambience they tried on V and to a lesser extent on Distance, and this is really where Live excel. The songs Like I Do (track 6) and Lighthouse (track 9) are two of my favourite Live songs ever. Enough said. Admittedly there are a couple of songs on the album that show a lot of the "Distance" motif in them and are a little weak and lame (Run Away comes to mind) but all in all it is very, very good and a must for Live fans.

Forget about your skepticism, this is their second best album (and Throwing Copper is THE best album in musical history so that is definately not a slight on Birds of Pray).

Sweet release indeed!
For me, Live have scored their Hat Trick with Birds of Pray. I would officially give this CD A 6-star rating, if I could.

After Mental Jewelry and Throwing Copper, Live's next 3 releases (Secret Samadhi, The Distance To Here and V) had offered shining moments of what originally got me hooked on their music. The albums, over all though, did not have the "staying power" of MJ and TC - both of which literally spent a number of months straight in my player. V, in particular, didn't grab me much at all - a sentiment many others in these reviews seem to share to one degree or another.

Now, I'm ecstatic to report that "Birds of Pray" will likely sit aside MJ and TC as a CD that will spend the coming weeks in my CD player. I am hooked. This release is, put simply, amazing. Live have recaptured - or at least returned to the energy and, dare I say, passion they conveyed on their first two releases. I'd say this one even leans a bit closer to Mental Jewelry than Throwing Copper - (a Very Good Thing in my opinion, as MJ remains my all-time favorite from Live).

Few male rock singers I've heard can deliver lyrics with such emotion as convincingly and potently as Ed Kowalcyk does. And, to me, this is his strongest and most consistent vocal performance since MJ and TC.

But don't let the praise end with him... The entire band delivers a solid, moving and overall stellar performance on Birds of Pray.

All in all, Birds of Pray is a fantastic release from a truly gifted band who has returned to their "sonic roots" and still clearly find those shoes quite comfortable.

Bravo.

I highly recommend this CD.

Ugh
I'm sorry, but contrary to a previous review, Live does NOT keep getting better. It just seems better to the MTV and Pop Radio crowd.

It's a sad story. A previously insanely awesome band goes pop-rock. Just like Our Lady Peace did, and NOW they're popular. Ugh.

Live has been my absolute favorite band for a long long time, and there was a time when they could never disappoint. TC... classic. SS... brilliant. TDTH... one of the most perfect albums I've heard...

Then "V". I almost drove off a cliff when i popped that CD in my car stereo for the first time. It was like a long-time relationship soured when you find that your significant other has been cheating on you the whole time. Electronics, rapping, country-esque riffs. What happened? I started songwriting 9 years ago solely due to Ed's amazing lyrics. And now he's singing about hittin'up tha club.

BOP was a step in the right direction, but the music is very very basic and unmoving. The lyrics... thanks to Ed's daughter being born, are simply lame. Now understand this... it takes so much for me to say anything negative about Live, but boy have they really messed up. I don't feel guilty for giving a negative review, because they should feel guilty for cheating the loyal/intelligent section of their fan base in order to please the less-bright general public.

Lyrics like "I believe in the sanctity of dreams" and "ride a Harley through the heart of danger" make me feel like Live's next gig is headlining the Sesame Street cast party.