Customer Reviews

Live Live

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I don't usually buy live albums, but I couldn't pass up "Live*LIVE!" by southern rockers, Sister Hazel. My criteria for buying/listening to live albums is usually 2 points:

-I've heard the artist live and loved it

-There's some intangible about their live collection
that I can't get anywhere else

I live not far from Gainesville, the band's college-town home, and have had the opportunity to enjoy them many times in different settings. I wasn't at either of the sessions used for "Live*LIVE!"....September 2003 performances at The House of Blues in Orlando and an appearance at The Masquerade club in historic Ybor City, a
long-time music venue in Tampa.

But the key to Sister Hazel's live performances is their connection with the audience. There's a band charisma that nearly leaps off the stage, that you sometimes can't feel in their studio albums (although all three have been superb).

The sets from Orlando are relatively free of crowd noise other than opening and closing applause, but the Tampa sets feature a rowdy back-up group in the audience who know all the words and sing at will. The only song that is overwhelmed by this is the first disc's "All for You", SH's biggest hit to date. It has been, over the years, stupefied by too much radio airplay, so you almost welcome a new version with "crowd sing".

Best of the tunes?

Disc One:

"Life Got In The Way" - a great opener, gets everyone's juices flowing....

"I wanted us to be the one that poets write their books about"....

"Just Remember" - hot guitar jams lead in and surround the song-- some great a capella voice harmonies by Block/Copeland offset a middling set of lyrics on this crowd pleaser

"Come Around" Block's voice is unmistakable and distinctive on this love song. Some of the lyrics on "Come Around" are visual poetry...

Disc Two:

"Your Winter"(also featured on the soundtrack of the movie "10 Things I Hate About You") and "Killing Me Too" are two of my favorite Sister Hazel songs. Quieter, and more introspective, both allow Block's plaintive upper register to shine through. Somehow the romantic insecurities that come through seem like Block's own. Perhaps they are. In "Killing Me Too", there's a surprise build up and crescendo at song's end that demonstrates just how well these boys play music.

"Sword and Shield" (recorded in Tampa), also graces disc 2. It's a departure from most of the S&H songs in theme - it is strangely and compellingly not contemporary in lyrics. It feels like it may have been written with a sound track in mind, although I don't think it appeared with any film. Copeland's harmonies are particularly haunting on the song, which features not only unique lyrics, but a more insistent beat.

There's really nothing not to like on the 2 disc set. One of my prior favorites, "Champagne High" sounds like less of a song because the band misses the back up vocals from Indigo Girl Emily Salier that appeared on the studio version.

College bar-band, maybe, by origin, but they've transcended far beyond that medium to one of the richest sounds of the south. Great music to sing along to when you're driving!

Live is where the best stuff is and saying Sister Hazel does live well is an understatement. Disc one opens with Life Got in the Way, and I don't think you can stop moving until Swan Dive. The biggest surprise is here for those familiar with Chasing Daylight is that this version of Swan Dive is a slower "broken down" version that is absolutely fabulous. This disc features the crowd singing along during All For You and one of the most amazing guitar solos on Happy.

Disc two is just as amazing as disc one with an incredible extended intro to Change Your Mind and heartfelt performances of Killing Me Too, Sword and Shield and Your Mistake. Disc two closes with Out There, which may possibly be the most moving song ever in its live form.

Of course I don't have space to mention all of the songs, but there isn't one you would want to skip. If you are a fan of live music, this cd is a perfect addition to your collection.

Recorded at the House of Blues in Orlando Florida (September 6th, 2003) and The Masquerade in Tampa, Florida (September 13th, 2003), this two-disc "Live" anthology validates Sister Hazel's longstanding commitment to delivering passionate and powerful performances. It includes a dream set list that showcases, in my opinion, the best that Sister Hazel has to offer.

From start to finish, the band continues to do what it has always done best - play honest and original music that touches you on an emotional level. Disc one starts out strong with one of their newest efforts "Life Got in the Way" and closes solid with fan long-time favorite "Happy." Disc Two gets equally high ratings with songs like "Your Winter" and "Change Your Mind." These songs are so real and powerful that it is hard not to undergo some type of emotional change while listening.

Their loyal legion of fans will tell you that they only keep getting better with time. And it is these same fans that make this "Live" set really memorable. They inject themselves into many of the songs on cue, making some of the band's classic tunes even better!

This Gainsville band definitely hasn't succumbed to the trappings of "Rock Star" and their personalities and music are true reflections of their gift to remain down-to-earth. They may actually be one of the best but most underappreciated bands that I have every known of.

Sister Hazel definitely lets their music do the talking and I can guarantee you will do some quality listening and won't skip a track of this "Live" CD.

Sister Hazel positively shines at their live shows and this new live CD brings that energy directly to your CD player. As a fan-friendly group of guys from Gainesville, FL you can literally feel the warmth as the band interacts with their fans. Yet another CD that you can play throughout without skipping a single track.

I love live albums. Often I see a group in concert and they perform an awesome live rendition that makes it hard to go back to the studio recording. Also, if the concert is truly memorable, the live album can connect to that memory much more than a studio album.
Sister Hazel's Live Album does not disappoint. While it focuses on the Chasing Daylight release, it can be also called a "Greatest Hits' recording. Of course it includes their one-hit wonder, All for Your, but also includes their best stuff from other albums like Champagne High, Your Mistake, and Change Your Mind.
My only fear is that sometimes a live recording either means a hiatus, or to fulfill a contractual obligation because of a band break-up. Crossing my fingers, I hope only the former is true and not the latter. It would be a shame Sister Hazel would no longer grace us with their pleasant poetry.

Although I went to buy this cd during a snow storm on its January 20 release, I did not listen to it in its entirety until today. I wanted to give the boys in the band my undivided attention and today I made the time to listen and listen I did.

I listened through the most known songs: All For You, Champagne High, Your Winter, Happy and Change Your Mind. I listened to live and artistically styled versions of Swan Dive, Superman and Out There and twenty songs later I wondered for the millionth time why this band does not receive more radio play.

I personally love live cds. I think this is a true way to check the talent of a band you think you love. I particularly like the changes made in a live show versus what you will continually hear from a studio version. I like hearing the fans echo my excitement at home. SH did not let me down. I was thrilled to hear that the sound I have experienced at their shows was able to be captured on a compact disc. I also felt like you could hear that the band members really enjoy playing together.

If you have ever hummed along to a song by Sister Hazel it is to your musical health benefit to pick up this cd. The harmonies, the lyrics and the nuances in Ken Block's voice are beyond compare. They transcend southern rock at some points, blues at others, kitschy pop, great guitar and just plain fun. The band is not complicated, it is just good music.

While you have the cd playing, listen to the fans in this live recording and you will realize one of the best kept musical secrets is Sister Hazel.
My thanks to Ken, Drew, Ryan, Jett and Mark for putting this collection together. For my musical health.

Sister Hazel's new live album, Live - Live, is a great compellation spanning across their three main titles. The album includes radio favorites such as All for You, Happy, and Champagne High. Of course, the album also features electrifying performances of Come Around, Killing Me Too, and Sword and Shield. The album does a great job at capturing Sister Hazel's entertaining and energetic live show. Capping off the album is an excellent acoustic version of Out There by Ken and Drew. This is one of those albums that you can put in your CD player and just hit play, there's no need to skip any tracks on these two! Sister Hazel delivers again with this amazing new release. This two disc set is a must have for anyone who enjoys great music and awesome lyrics.

If you've never been to a Sister Hazel concert, you probably don't know what you're missing. Their shows are packed with energy, and soon the whole place is singing along. It's really something to experience, and now you can take it home with you. While these discs are no substitute for the real thing (if you want to even get close, you'd have to go get the "Life in the Day" DVD), they provide an excellent glimpse into the amazing live shows they perform.

I was not a huge Sister Hazel fan until I saw them live in '03. The show turned me into a huge fan and their studio album Chasing Daylight has stayed in my player ever since. This live album has many cuts from Chasing Daylight and is a must have. The band is funny, they sound great, and they show why they are doing what they are doing, to have fun and produce great music!

This live album brings back wonderful memories of seeing Sister Hazel Live! I was so HAPPY to see it had so many favorites and had me singing along with the band. Certainly a must have CD! I need one for home and one for my car.