Customer Reviews

Live Wherever You Are

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There really isn't a weak song on this album. Jack, as always, wavers between southern rock and country, and he's close enough to rock to make him unique as a country artist. Love You is a classic. The editing lacks some continuity, but overall its a great collection.

As a woman, I learned a lot about how an aplha male views life by taking in the words on the album. "Wherever You Are" immortalizes how driven a man can be when he decides he's in love. Women are always on the look out for "the one". Men are more driven by when it is the "the time". In this song, Jack immortalizes when a man realizes he left "the one"- now that it is "the time"- how a man then focuses to make things right: to quickly to do whatever he needs to be wherever she is. But if she's married someone else- he already knows he'll be "moving on". "Never Knocked Me Down" is not the first comparison of performing music to fighting. Billie Joel wrote that "Like a boxer in a title fight, you have to walk in that ring alone." The song is an anthem to the frustration of having honor questioned and then fighting back when all the odds are stacked against you. "Love You" is filled with humor as dry as the desert landscape. There's a parody in it of how women excuse our verbal mistreatment of people by puntuating our thoughts with words like "Bless her heart" or "Love you".

Jack Ingram performing live is hotter than a Houston sidewalk mid-day in August. There is a grit and intensity in his voice that pulls the listener in. While his voice perfectly mounts every note- it isn't a classically pretty voice- it's better. It is what a man's voice should be: rugged, strong and compelling. Complete with Dylan-esk wisdom and a Mellancamp beat- this is an album that gets better the more it is played. Since I can't jet set to wherever Jack Ingram is- I keep 2 CD's handy- one at home and one in the car- then his male Texas wisdom can be wherever I am.

The only reason that I didn't give this 5 stars is that the first song, which is track #2 (because track # 1 is an intro by Jack) is a little slow for me. The rest of the cd really has that rocking Texas feel. I love the idea that most of these songs were done at Gruen TX (an old cotten German town inside the limits of New Braunfels, TX)--it's one of mine and my husband's favorite fun places to visit. Some say that Jack sounds abit like Steve Earle. He does, but his songs are more upbeat with a bit more good times type feeling. Anyway, buy the cd--you won't be disappointed.

"Live wherever you are" is just a studio single. A 30 second spoken intro "Hello", 2 studio tracks "Wherever you are" & "Love you", a 2005 CMT radio broadcast "Never knocked me down". The 10 other tracks have already been released as part of the 2004 "Live at Gruene Hall", recorded on december 14, 2002. And this isn't mentioned anywhere!

Not the worst, but not the best. I think Jack is a great talent. Having seen him perform live, I immediately thought this CD would be fantastic! WRONG! It is mediocre.
While he does thank you for buying the CD, & does a great rendition of "Only Daddy that'll Walk the Line." Plus, songs like "Mustang Burn" & Barbie Doll show off his talent and sarcasm much better than "Love You." Which, incidentally, HAS been a massive "Commercial radio success" So perhaps Jack would want to be careful when recording songs like "Happy Happy, Country Country, where he pretty much slams country radio and the fans who listen to it. Don't bite the hand that feeds you Jack!
Still, this CD, in my mind is just an "OK" effort. Maybe it was that mix of "Live, vs. Recorded? I don't know. It just left me feeling like it not only could have been better, it SHOULD have been better!
Oh, and someone tell CMT that if they are going to show the video for "Love You" to PLEASE show the REAL one! The woman in the viseo isn't using a baseball bat, she's using a shotgun to tear up that truck.

Jack just proves the kind of talent he has with Live Where Ever You Are. The new songs are fun and cool to sing to. I like all of the live cuts it shows more emotion than the studio cuts of these tracks.