Published on Jul 14, 1998
According to the press release for the latest Counting Crows
release
Across A Wire – Live In New York City, Adam Duritz and
company are quickly becoming one of the most bootlegged bands of
this time. I found this kind of funny, as I’ve always thought of
Counting Crows as a band that has to grow on you. I have yet to
appreciate
Recovering The Satellites, an album that I thought was
recorded on Valium.
However, on this specially-priced “for the fans” set, Duritz and
crew show two different sides to their music, and create an album
that, for the most part, should attract more interest to the
band.
This two-disc set is made up of two separate shows recorded for
MTV networks (the acoustic set for VH-1’s “Storytellers,” the
electric set for MTV’s “Live From The 10 Spot”). There is minimal
track overlapping – and not surprisingly, one version tends to
stand out over another. What might shock people is that the
acoustic work tends to stick out better.
Starting with just acoustic guitar and vocals on “Round Here,”
Duritz adds even a little more pathos to a song that could have
come out of a Sartre novel, and makes it hauntingly beautiful. As
more band members join in on “Have You Seen Me Lately?” this track
quickly turns into one that should have been a hit (and still could
be, if this version is chosen as a single).
The selections for this acoustic set show a new side to Counting
Crows that I wish I had heard a long time ago. “Mr. Jones,” a song
that suffers from chronic overplay on alternative radio, has a new
zest kicked into it. (Is that a different live version on the
radio, or did they just edit the word “fuck” out? I can’t tell.)
Other radio hits like “Angels Of The Silences” and “Rain King” also
sound like brand new songs with the new direction they’re taken in.
Other tracks like “Anna Begins” also show their true colors.
The only negative thing about the first disc of
Across A Wire – Live In New York City is the nearly six
minutes of hearing a record caught in a groove (yes, I was dumb
enough to listen to the whole damned thing), only to kick into an
uncredited, hidden track. Actually, this is the weakest moment on
this disc, a song that tends to break the mood that was created
with the live show by apparently returning to the studio. (If I
knew the title of the song, I’d list it.)
The second half of
Across A Wire – Live In New York City puts the electricity
back into the instruments (truth be told, there is a little
electric guitar on the first disc), and Duritz and crew return to
the sound they’ve become known for. But unlike some of their recent
studio efforts, Duritz actually sounds energetic, and that makes
all the difference for this show.
But the one drawback to doing a acoustic/electric album quickly
comes through, as the electric versions of “Rain King” and “Have
You Seen Me Lately?” don’t live up to the first versions in the
set. However, “Round Here” does show what additional magic an
electric guitar can throw into the mix.
Familiar tracks like “A Murder Of One” stand out on this disc,
while some of the lesser-known tracks such as “Sullivan Street” and
“Children In Bloom” will have more appeal for the diehard fan than
the casual dabbler. (And even though this live version has a little
more oomph behind it, I still don’t like “A Long December”.)
Across A Wire – Live In New York City is not meant to
replace the two studio efforts of Counting Crows; rather, they
enhance those albums, and they do a fine job of it. However, if you
don’t like particular selections from the band, chances are this
set won’t change your mind about those tracks. (What it should do
is stir up curiosity about the other albums – as this disc has with
me. You know I’ll be digging out
August And Everything After from the Pierce Archives post
haste.)
Counting Crows are a powerful live band, though
Across A Wire – Live In New York City shows they pack more
power in their acoustic work, a side of the band many of us have
never heard before. Still, this is an entertaining set overall that
is much better than your typical live albums, and is a winner for
fans and the uninitiated alike.