Special Edition of the Hit Album from Live with Four Great Bonus Tracks Unique to this Edition. 'operation Spirit' and 'good Pain' Are from their Debut Album While 'heaven Wore a Shirt' and 'negation' Are Unique to the Bon... more »us Disc.« less
Special Edition of the Hit Album from Live with Four Great Bonus Tracks Unique to this Edition. 'operation Spirit' and 'good Pain' Are from their Debut Album While 'heaven Wore a Shirt' and 'negation' Are Unique to the Bonus Disc.
"THROWING COPPER deserves the recognition it continues to receive without question. Live has not made another record with this much power, energy, or meaning, and it's likely they never will again. Even the lesser known tracks are memorable like the fast-paced "Top" and the two social commentaries "Waitress" and "Shit Towne," which contains humorously addictive lyrics. "Stage" is one of the fastest and most hard rocking songs Live has never done with its opening that simply explodes in your ears. Of course the hits like "Selling The Drama," "I Alone," and "All Over You" are great, but the best of these has to be their breakthrough, "Lightning Crashes." Many alternative-era bands since Live have gained success with ballads, but none of them sound like this song. Unlike other hit ballads, every part of it is important, not just the rousing and immortal chorus. Perhaps only "Smells Like Teen Spirit" ranks above "Lightning Crashes" as the most important rock song of the 90's, and no one should expect that Live could ever duplicate the greatness of this track, or this album. With its emotion, blazing guitars, and freshness that still remains today, THROWING COPPER has given Live deserved success regardless of what happens during the rest of their career."
A Landmark in Rock music
S. Morales | Levittown, NY United States | 03/16/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There really isn't any other reason for me to be writing this review only to tell the poor souls who do not yet own this album that their is seriously something wrong with you. Live exploded onto the scene in the mid 90's once hits like "Selling the Drama", "I, Alone", and "Lightening Crashes" hit the airwaves. This was mainstream music, yes, but back then mainstream music wasn't anything to look down upon as it has sadly become now at the turn of the century. This mainstream music has depth, meaning, musical ability and most important of all, integrity.
This album is one of those rarities you really don't find much of anymore, an album you want to listen to all the way straight through and only repeat once it's over. Other albums of this nature include (for me anyway) "Blackwater Park" by Opeth, and "Master of Puppets" by Metallica.
The album kicks off great with Dam at Otter Creek, it's a slow and creepy song that works great as a lead-in to the rock and roll mayhem about to be ensued in the next few tracks. "Iris," and "Top" are my favorites off the album, as they are both deeply melodic and hypnotizing. Then again, every song on this one is very hypnotizing in it's flawless mixture of semi-progressive rock music and folk influence (I don't think you'll really find any traces of metal in here though). The hits just keep on hitting all the way through till the end. If there was any complaint I'd have about this album it's only that some of the songs are just too short. For example, "Waitress" I think is a great song, unfortunately, it only goes for about 2 and a half minutes. I think Live would do great with 6 and 7 plus minute songs.
That's about it though, otherwise there are no complaints at all, just applauds. This is the only album by Live I've heard though, as most of my money goes towards Metal CD's, but I'll have to pick up more from these guys soon. The bottom line is, BUY THIS."
Throw some Copper my way
blender | 02/17/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I'd still like to definitively know what the CD title means (I have an unconfirmed idea).This album is great from start to finish, and gets a lot of cycles in my CD player. From the very opening track, Dam at Otter Creek, to the final track (which is not listed on the CD), Untitled, this disc is destined to be a classic. Some may say it's boring re-tread genre music, but then we're all entitled to our own opinions.I don't give a - well, you know - about what tracks get a lot of airplay, mostly because I've never been one to listen to what's "hot" simply because of someone else's say-so. In saying that, here are the tracks that I care to say this about that:White, Discussion; Iris; Drama; TBD; Pillar of Davidson.The untitled track is somewhat corny, but fun to listen to; I usually skip over it unless I'm in the mood to hear Live sound like country bumpkins.This CD is always good for shouting/singing along to whenever I'm in need of a good emotional release - try Iris, TBD, or I Alone - you'll see what I mean.Peace Out."
My choice for best Album of the 1990s
Lawrance M. Bernabo | The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota | 09/07/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Involved in a discussion as to what we considered to be the best album of the last decade of the last century of the last millenium, I was somewhat surprised to come to the conclusion that "Throwing Copper" was my personal favorite ("Ten" came in second, and, yes, I see the similarities between the two works). My students were surprised I even listen to anything that came out after the Beatles broke up.On several tracks the thing that stands out the most for me is the drumming. I find that I like good drumming (e.g., John Bonham on "Dazed and Confused" from Led Zeppelin I and most of Dave Grohl's work with Nirvana). What also strikes me is the musical range of the album, which can go from quiet ("lighting cashes") to fast ("stage") to epic ("pillars of davidson"). I also like the way they use space (e.g., the way that one chord holds in "I Alone" while the drumming and voice continue). I like what Chad Gracey does and I think it adds something to most of the tracks on this album. The weakest part of the album is, of course, the lyrics. They aren't much and they get repeated a lot, but this is not a serious consideration because the voice here functions as a musical instrument. Kowalcyk's vocalizations are the instrument (similar to Cobain with Nirvana). The *harmonies* between the final chorus and the undertheme in "pillar of davidson" is the point, not the particular words. In a sense it is like opera, where people sing in Italian and all you get is a sense of emotional coloring. You don't want to be sitting there following alone with the lyrics/libretto.The fact that Live might never top this effort is not unique. You can make the same case for Nirvana, Peral Jam, Hootie & The Blowfish, No Doubt, Hole, Jewel, Fiona Apple, and countless other singers and groups who have smash debuts and then fail to scale the heights a second time. Now if somebody can just explain the cover painting in terms of the title..."