Live

An instrumental attack as supercharged as Soundgarden's ("The Dam at Otter Creek"),
freely suggestive lyrics and vocal phrasing that recall Michael Stipe ("Selling the Drama"),
whisper-to-a-scream dynamics à la Nirvana – this Pennsylvania quartet seems ready-made
for alternative stardom. It's not that they're calculating imitators. Rather, Live capture the
anger and ache of the moment in riveting songs driven home by expert players.... More >

On stage, this intently mediocre young band is U2 without a guitar sound. On record, it's R.E.M. without songs. Fittingly, it generates the "idealistic" arena-rock U2 is no longer hungry enough to bother with and R.E.M never had the stomach to work up. Only with the old guys I wouldn't put the saving word in quotes. (Grade: C+)