Post by jptheprofessor on Jul 10, 2006 9:31:27 GMT -5
THE CLARKS - STILL LIVE (King Mouse Music) In conjunction with the release of their first DVD of the same name, Pittsburgh favorites The Clarks have released their second live CD, Still Live. And as the album's sixteen tracks clearly illustrate, The Clarks are still very much live and alive. Recorded during two nights of a sold-out four-night stand at Mr. Small's Theatre in Millvale last December, Still Live again captures The Clarks doing what they do so well, letting their music and performances do the talking. The album literally picks up where the group's 2001 Live album left off, starting with a second live rendition of the hit that ended the 2001 album, "Better Off Without You." From there, The Clarks breathe live energy into many new favorites that have emerged since that first live album; including radio hits such as "Maybe," "Hey You," "Shimmy Low," "Hell On Wheels" and "Gypsy Lounge," and established live favorites such as "You Know Everything," "On Saturday," "Boys Lie" and "Let It Go." Produced, mixed and recorded by Sean McDonald, Still Live nicely captures the atmosphere of the occasion. The energy level is constant, as The Clarks' performances are vibrant, upbeat and steady; and the hometown crowd cheers ecstatically after every song. The mix is crisp and balanced, and puts the listener front and center. Besides providing a snapshot of the special occasion of The Clarks before their hometown fans, Still Live also shows that this band continues to generate catchy, upbeat, guitar-driven American rock and roll, and that the group's more recent song creations have established their own places alongside the older canons of the Clarks' catalog. Still Live further slams the exclamation point on The Clarks as a live band entity, and anybody who has ever enjoyed a Clarks live show should find this an easily satisfying listen. (The album can be obtained by visiting the group's website, www.clarksonline.com.)