Throwing Copper

Live | Format: Audio Cassette

Product Details

• Audio Cassette (April 26, 1994)
• Original Release Date: 1994
• Label: Mca
• ASIN: B000003BR5
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (218 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #173,690 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Dam at Otter Creek

2. Selling the Drama

3. I Alone

4. Iris

5. Lightning Crashes

6. Top

7. All over You

8. Shit Towne

9. T.B.D.

10. Stage

11. Waitress

12. Pillar of Davidson

13. White, Discussion

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Ed Kowalczyk knows a thing or two about transmitting personal anguish through song. Even though the Live frontman is often derided as a budget-bin Michael Stipe, there is no denying his cathartic influence on this Pennsylvania foursome's musical direction. Throwing Copper is not only Live's most successful release (six-million-plus copies sold) but also the best showcase for Kowalczyk's fierce vocal prowess. From the violent "Selling the Drama" to the moving "Lightning Crashes," this is an album of unparalleled intensity by a singer and group of rare passion. --Aidin Vaziri

Product Description

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. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Landmark in Rock music, March 16, 2004

By 

S. Morales (Levittown, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Throwing Copper (Bonus CD) (Audio CD)

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.

31 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Like a rollin' thunder chasing the wind-", November 11, 2005

By 

A. Casalino "V^^^^^V" (Downers Grove, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Throwing Copper (Bonus CD) (Audio CD)

Even after the countless times I've listened to this album over the past 10 years in which I've possessed it, I can still feel the same boundless charge of fervor that endeared me to it in the first place. Indeed, this music has never worn out for me, and I'm assured it never will.

In the nineties there were quite a lot of very talented bands swarming the popular music scene. Songs by Hootie & the Blowfish, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Faith No More & others filled the radio and gave definition to a great decade for rock. However, nothing comes close- at least not for me- in summing up those poignant years, as Live's "Throwing Copper". Lead singer Ed Kowalczyk's potent vocals give fiery life to lyrics already intense with emotion: songs often beginning as quiet, moving testimonies- though always ominous of some coming storm- then which build to crescendos of heart-throbbing passion.

The lyrics herein are of a poetic nature, really - and they're very personal, as each individual interpretation can be as ardent, as raging as the most intensely felt emotion - as deep and dark and vast as a storm filled sea.

I've been listening to it often, of late- and it's truly a force all its own: Songs: with words like- "Our love is like water - Pinned down and abused for being strange," or "I alone love you; I alone tempt you; I alone love you; Fear is not the end of this!" or "I was reaching forward, I was already there- reading too much and losing my head," or "Warm bodies, I sense, are not machines that can only make money- Past, perfect, tense: Words for a feeling and all I've discovered..." -They can, each one of them, enliven even the weariest of souls with an abundant pounding passion.

Ranting and raging against all civilized decorum, these songs would deign not ever fade quietly with the passing of the years. Oh no- they'll continue to haunt one with their impassioned avowals.

Would that all excellent music could age so finely!

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars +It Was I Alone I Am Thankful For+, March 5, 2005

By 

Christopher "chrysaetos" (Wengen-en-esprit) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Throwing Copper (Audio CD)

+1994+ I was driving eastbound on Belleview on my way to high school in my old Blue Jeep. The overpass to I-25 was directly in front of me...and the radio started playing "I Alone." I've never forgotten. But the radio went into some other song eventually. Maybe a week later I heard it again, this time driving westbound at night, and a female DJ said "That was Live..." I cannot express my frustration, having never heard of a band called "Live" (did I misunderstand her?) and the recording certainly *wasn't* live.

+Ten Years Later+ With today's Internet, it's easy to track down these things, but I wasn't so lucky in 1994. I still don't know how I found out who Live was, but I was fortunate to finally have this album placed into my hands.

+Throwing Copper+ is masterful, a thought-out, original, musically creative album that, in my opinion, hasn't been equaled until "Birds of Pray." Kowalczyk's lyrics are some of the best I've ever heard, and Live's music is shamelessly good. It took me a long time to get used to the "rock-frequency formula" -- Live's songs tend to start in a quiet trough, then reach a loud crest, fall quiet again, and finally become some super force of pure energy. "Iris" became an instant hit for me, and I've played this song thousands of times. "Pillar of Davidson" is underrated and is also one of my favorites.

+Also, something+ about the end of "White, Discussion" haunts me, as if I've heard it before...I guess I'll always wonder.

+To this day+ I have never had such a vivid recollection of a song on the radio, one that caught my attention, only to bring back floods of memories a decade later...I think that's a shame for the music world. But Live definitely struck a chord with me and I'm thankful I was even listening to the radio that morning.