| The
Review |
When it comes to the world of live music, RPWL is awe-inspiring.
I saw them perform live at ROSfest 2004, which happened to
be the first annual outing of this truly fetching and absolutely
astounding festival. They headlined the event and boy were
they ever impressive. The honor couldn't have been bestowed
upon a better choice. They had so much presence on stage it
was uncanny. They pinned down every piece in the set list
as if they were shooting tacks from a nail gun. On this particular
album, they make use of their best recordings from the World
Through My Eyes Tour 2005, so you know it has to be good.
They represent every era in their discography, have great
cover selections, and even bring one extraordinary guest onstage.
For starters, the special guest is none other than the
veritably versatile Ray Wilson. It doesn't take long for him
to the board the bandwagon. He joins the crew halfway through
the first disc (by the way, this is a double CD). When he
comes out, the vibe radically changes. With the auxiliary
motors engaged, the already alluring mood is supplanted by
an abrupt outburst of energy. Afterwards, he sticks around
for another enticing number. To give you a little background,
his assistance was solicited for the World Through My Eyes
album. It turns out Yogi Lang (the L in RPWL) wrote a song
called "Roses," which he thought was ideally suited for Ray's
voice. Through a series of fortunate events, Yogi got in contact
with Ray who willingly came into the studio. They got him
to join them in concert too and here you get a chance to hear
the song how it was originally intended to be sung. If that's
not enough, they get him to follow it up with a tune from
his own personal cache. The selection they choose is "Not
About Us", which in addition to Ray, was co-authored by legends
Rutherford and Banks for the Calling All Stations album. With
this pair of superb submissions, Ray's appearance in this
production is the pudding in their symphonically-syrupy power
pop.
In this concert, they did little to hide the fact that
they started as a Pink Floyd tribute band. They cover three
of their infamous songs in succession. They provide "Opel"
as well as one of my favorites, "Welcome To The Machine".
Placed upon the pile, they also perform the quirky cut "Cymbaline".
They have the goods to distribute the parcels from Pink Floyd's
sweatshop, but like Kevin James, they add their own distinct
personality to the delivery. At times it is difficult to distinguish
between these covers and the creations they've accumulated
for their own private collection. What's interesting is that
"Opel" is on their Stock album while "Welcome To The Machine"
has seemingly become a concert staple. This is my first time
hearing "Cymbaline" spring forth from the band. Nevertheless,
it too should become a common conveyance in the tour circuit
as it has the most endearing acumen. At this point, it is
hard to say whether or not the originals are better because
they are able to emulate them with such intimate precision.
Yet, in more ways than one, they've made each song their own.
Besides what's been mentioned, there's plenty else to
entertain us. Starting with "Sleep," it becomes tentative
and loose after freeing itself from ice-cold inertia. Once
it thaws, it's immediately apparent this slick fish was effectively
fresh-frozen. It shakes the frost from its scales and bites
down with the tenacity and teeth of a piranha. "Day On My
Pillow" is so radio-friendly; you'd think they were covering
a song from The Beatles. For those who don't already know,
this really is an RPWL original. Also, what's clever about
this song is that they stealthily squeeze in "I Know What
I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" from Genesis' Selling England By
The Pound. It slipped through my fingers many times before
I finally grabbed hold and reeled it in.
I like all these songs, mostly the covers and especially
the ones with Ray, but it's the songs that hearken back to
the debut that feed the fire best. Among them, we get the
critically-acclaimed favorites "Who Do You Think We Are" and
"Crazy Lane." They feverishly nourish the flames as if they
were kindling. We also get the tried and true title tracks
from other essential albums. That would be "Trying To Kiss
The Sun" and "World Through My Eyes." By now, I've accounted
for a major fraction of the album and while there's more,
this is already enough to fill the foggy air with luminance.
The remaining selections such as "Start The Fire", "The Gentle
Art Of Swimming", "Wasted Land" and "I Don't Know" are glowing
bulbs that have evidently been enhanced. You'll find extended
versions of many of their songs. There are breakout sections
that introduce whole minutes of sheer instrumental madness.
Mostly, Markus Jehle's keyboards are responsible for this
added depth, but everyone finds a spot to provide some kind
of innovation. With embellishments that would warrant envy,
these songs have exponentially improved over time. For that
reason, even Anne Robinson would have a difficult time deciding
upon the album's missing link.
All that aside, my favorite track overall is probably
"Hole In The Sky" and it's the one that appears to end the
album. While they may start in a haze, they finish in a cloud
filled with static electricity. As this is the first and best
song off their debut, this is the song that put the band instantly
on my short list. It's this song that I feel is also this
album's biggest attraction. After cheers and jeers from the
crowd trailed by a convincing pause, it seems it's finally
over, but this is not the case. They find the space for an
extension and work in a nifty encore. For our added pleasure,
they ambush us with an unreleased studio track called "Stars
Are Born." It's long and it's certainly studio quality. This
well-constructed cut sounds similar to the supergroup Kino,
which is why it's an excellent way to complete the album.
Between the set list, the covers selections, and one very
special guest, this is one amazing product. It's really one
of the best live albums I've heard to date. After earning
accolades from their debut, entertaining fans with three fantastic
follow-ups, and headlining one of progressive rock's most
foremost festivals, the band continues to keep the momentum
going. While they've done enough to earn entry into the hall
of fame early, they continue to keep their edge razor-sharp.
In a time when bands are slapping together albums and releasing
half-hearted efforts, especially on the live front, it's refreshing
to hear such great "live" material. I may actually give this
one more attention than their studio releases because it's
so energetic, refined, and balanced. Each side from dawn to
dusk flows with seamless integrity while the opening and closing
notes land with careful placement and clout. They didn't start
the fire; it was always burning since the world was turning.
However, they take this opportunity to grab the majority of
shares. Using their investments wisely, they supply the stockades
with striking live licks and sentient technology. With this
concert, they've tried their best and haven't failed their
fans trying. Then again, that's just my opinion of how I heard
their world tour through my ears.
Rating: 4.25/5
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