SHINEDOWN – After listening to the 17 live songs on Somewhere in the Stratosphere: Madness LIVE from Washington State (Electric), my conclusion is Shinedown electrifies with their live performance. The quality of sound and all encompassing production of this live album is astounding. The sounds of the audience are captured perfectly, with plenty of exaltation and sing-along moments, making this a true live listen into this Shinedown concert.
Before I listened to this live Shinedown album, I did not hear one song prior. I was hoping for high energy from this live concert album, coupled with the commanding spirit of musicianship that Shinedown so dramatically exemplifies. Well… Shinedown sounds electrifying on this live album and I wish I was there to experience this live concert.
Shinedown have released three studio albums with immense commercial success. Leave A Whisper (2003) has gone Platinum, Us and Them (2005) has gone Gold and The Sound of Madness (2008) has reached Platinum status. All three of these studio albums from Shinedown I admire greatly, from the lyrics to the music and all vibes in-between. Shinedown has sold millions of albums for good reason. Albums just don’t sell that easy these days. It’s my guess that the song writing and lyrical themes of Shinedown’s songs obviously touches the human spirit and relates, plus this band really can play lights out.
I’ve always considered Brent Smith to be a premier vocalist in the world of Heavy Music and all of Rock for that matter. Brent has that gift of spilling out real emotion into the lyrics that he sings, nothing has ever come across as fabricated to my ears. To hear these 17 Shinedown songs live, with Brent’s vocals being as inspirational as ever, is riveting. Hearing live versions of Brent singing I Dare You, Heroes, The Crow & The Butterfly and Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom) is proof positive that he was meant for the live stage.
Throughout this live album, the entire band plays tighter than the knots in my daughter’s sneaker laces. All the while, I can feel the enthusiasm of Shinedown through these live songs, it just comes through to me this way and I’m not complaining. The pumped-up and heavy grooves that erupt from Sound Of Madness are so lively it’s downright wild. Fly From The Inside is brought to the live stage brilliantly. The cover song of the Lynyrd Skynyrd classic Simple Man is played in acoustic Southern Rock glory. The last verse of Simple Man has Brent Smith inviting the audience to sing-along and it’s simply put… cool and fun stuff.
Second Chance ends this live album of 17 songs by scarring my arms and face with ostrich bumps of emotion. A perfect song to cap off this concert and album. Thank you, Shinedown. Metal be thy name. This new live album from Shinedown should recruit even more new fans into their Rockin’ stable. Longtime fans of Shinedown should presumably be thrilled to hear and own this album. It is my Metal opinion, this is one of those live albums that will be looked upon as being one of the best of it’s generation.
SHINEDOWN:
Brent Smith – vocals
Zach Myers – guitar
Eric Bass – bass
Barry Kerch – drums
Track Listing:
Intro (Scary Fairy)
Sound Of Madness
Devour
I Dare You
Cyanide Sweet Tooth Suicide
If You Only Knew
Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom)
.45
Burning Bright
Heroes
The Crow & The Butterfly
Her Name Is Alice
Save Me
Left Out
Simple Man
Fly From The Inside
Second Chance
* This live album was released on May 3rd, 2011, on Atlantic Records.
* For more info on SHINEDOWN, click the links below:
SHINEDOWN – Official Website
SHINEDOWN – facebook
SHINEDOWN – twitter
LONG LIVE SHINEDOWN.
Stone.
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