Before the Amplifiers-Live Acoustic

Sister Hazel | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 17, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rock Ridge Music
• ASIN: B0017V7H7K
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,342 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

This 16-song retrospective is a stripped down review of the band's rich past with a glance into the future. Featuring rich vocals, honed melodies, and defined instrumentation, "BTA" offers much to not only the band's core fan base (the HazelNuts), but also to those yet to be converted.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing!, June 24, 2008

By 

Ben Frey (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Before the Amplifiers-Live Acoustic (Audio CD)

You know, I own every single Sister Hazel CD, and my favorites are still the first couple. I like the newer CDs, and I like many of the newer songs, but as a whole, I think the first couple of albums were stronger. I also love acoustic treatments of rock songs. I've heard many of these songs in what you would call "acoustic" formats before at live shows, but usually it was limited to Ken Block and a guitar...more of a solo breakout song while the band regroups backstage before the encore than an actual "acoustic" band set.

This CD takes songs that I've become extremely familiar with and changed them in subtle ways that show a maturity in the playing and singing of the band members that's never really existed before. Ken often throws his voice all over the place and turns a single syllable into 4 or 5 by changing notes a lot at the end of a phrase. On this set, he's singing it more "straight" than I've ever heard.

On this version of their stage staple "Happy," for example, the chorus that usually goes "Happy, I'm happy, but that ain't good enough for you" turns into "happyyyyyyy, that ain't good enough for you."

OK, so when you type it, it doesn't look like a big change, but after hearing it the same way hundreds of times at shows and on CD, to have it suddenly change to something that I honestly feel is much, much better is a revelation. That little part of the song had always annoyed me just a bit, but I overlooked it because it's such a great song in general. To hear it simplified and "fixed" all of the sudden after all this time is great.

There are many such moments on this disc. It is worth 9 dollars. Actually, i'd say it is worth 50 dollars. So buy the CD and buy a couple tickets to a show. Hopefully some of the changes they made for this set have been carried over into the live performance. It will be worth it to find out.

Enjoy!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We love this album, September 9, 2009

By 

S. Sandefur (Louisville, KY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Before the Amplifiers-Live Acoustic (Audio CD)

Bought this for my husband who is a huge Sister Hazel fan. We have all of the albums, but this has such a great mix from all of them. Love the acoustic versions of some of the songs. We have given this to other friends of our that weren't as big of fans of Sister Hazel as we were, but they loved this as well!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars hazelnuts, December 26, 2008

By 

charles greaves (warwick, ri United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Before the Amplifiers-Live Acoustic (Audio CD)

Bought this as a Bday gift for my brother, who is a Hazelnut. Naturaly I listen as well. This is a collection of tunes from other albums, but all stripped down and given an acoustic treatment. While not exactly pure acoustic the effect is wonderful. I love alternate interpretations of songs I'm familiar with.
The harmonies are wonderful, as you might expect from Sister Hazel. No big surprises here, solid songs with deep lyrics sung well.
Its fun to sing along to the slower versions, and easier to hear the the harmony parts. This would be a great addition to anyone who enjoys mellow rock, and its not just for old Hazel fans. Hope this helps. Enjoy.