This CD was released in tandem to the live DVD that bears the same name for Spock's Beard Live concert film and while it sometimes mystifies me why such a release would not be packaged together perhaps in the case of The Beard this is a good thing to have done. My hope is that you are one of those fans who has wisely checked out the video because it was nothing less than a superb affair that successfully blended the bands newest material from the Spock's Beard album along with their classics like "Thoughts (Part 2), and "In The Mouth Of Madness". As I referenced in the DVD commentary, the set list is strong and not only makes their newest wonders come to a much more vivid life, but it shows just how well the band has progressed with former drummer Nick D'Virgilio now at the helm as their singer. He does real justice to both old and new Beard compositions and it goes without saying about how tight these guys are during the show. New favorites from the Spock's Beard release for me where "Slow Crash Landing Man" based on its lush melodic harmonies as well as the groove and the very Progressive and driving "On A Perfect Day". This CD is great if you are not much the video person and instead want to just kick back and load this onto your music player or PC or whatever you do with your music these days. I do recommend shopping for the video just the same as sitting through it is time well spent. The DVD was a single disc affair but the CD finds two separate discs and this allows you to not miss out on any of the tunes. The concert we see on film is exactly the same that is presented here and I give SPV Records kudos for not swapping out a single number or two to make people want to buy both. There is nothing worse that dividing your purchase power these days. Like the film, this also comes with a booklet that is loaded with photos and there are additional liner notes from the band.
This is a great concert release from a very talented band that brings a lot to the table. Make sure you look into that DVD and also plan on grabbing a copy of the self-titled album while you are at it. If you are new to Spock's Beard, this is a good place to start.
Track Listing:
- Intro
- On A Perfect Day
- In The Mouth Of Madness
- Crack The Big Sky
- The Slow Crash Landing Man
- Return To Whatever
- Surfing Down The Avalanche
- Thoughts (Part 2)
- Drum Duel
- Skeletons At The Feast
- Walking On The Wind
- Hereafter (Ryo Solo)
- As Far As The Eye Can See Pt.1 (Dreaming In The Age Of Answers)
- As Far As The Eye Can See Pt.2 (Here's A Man)
- As Far As The Eye Can See Pt.3 (They Know We Know)
- As Far As The Eye Can See Pt.4 (Stream Of Unconciousness)
- Rearranged
- Medley: The Water & Go The Way You Go