Pros: Fantastic pop songs, rich melodies, and outstanding vocals...
Cons: Band is still relatively unknown despite hits...
The Bottom Line: Live at House of Blues New Orleans gives me a new level of respect for a band I already enjoyed. Better Than Ezra is better than you think.
lambchops's Full Review: Live at the House of Blues New Orleans by Better T...
Despite being a massive fan of music, I by no means am one to seek out live albums. I by and large find them to be annoying, grating, badly recorded, and painfully underproduced. Very occasionally I am impressed by such an album—fortunately this is the case the recently released Better Than Ezra disc Live at the House of Blues New Orleans. It’s a wonderful, shimmering release that sheds a favorable light on the oft misunderstood and overlooked pop-rockers.
New Orleans is home territory for Better Than Ezra. Formed in 1988, they were an early entry in the mid- and late-1990’s boom in the pop-rock genre. Their palatable and warm variety of music is among the best of the era, yet they only barely made a splash. Initially consisting of members Kevin Griffin (guitar, vocals), guitarist Joel Rundell, Tom Drummond (bass), and drummer Cary Bonnecraze (replaced in 1996 with Travis McNabb), Better Than Ezra made their debut in 1990 with an indie cassette release. In the midst of their rising star, Rundell committed suicide which led to the almost immediate split of the band.
Better Than Ezra wasn’t meant to stay apart. They reformed in Los Angeles and independently recorded the album that was to propel them to fame. Deluxe found its way to Elektra who released it two years later (1995). It was that album that exposed the multi-talented band to listeners across the United States. In fact, a trio of singles Good, Roselia, and In the Blood got a good deal of radio play. That album was consistent and entertaining. Over the course of the next six year, Better Than Ezra recorded and released an additional three albums. They were all good, but occasionally the band bordered on great. Still, they remained modest and mild and unwilling to heed to the pressures that most certainly come from record companies.
Today they are still together and still making music—most notably in the form of this year’s Live at the House of Blues New Orleans which collects previous hits, fan favorites, and even a new studio release in one tidy package. I’m pleased with the breadth of work and the surprisingly good quality of the recording (remember—I’m no fan of live records). Everything you’d expect is here from my favorite Better Than Ezra tune Desperately Wanting through hit single Good and including somewhat lesser known gems like Misunderstood, Extra Ordinary and so much more. There are in total seventeen songs—all of which are worth hearing (though I must admit there are some tracks I prefer regardless of whether they are live or studio recordings).
Beginning with something of a gratuitous intro, it takes little if any time for Live at House of Blues New Orleans to take shape. Better Than Ezra is clearly at the top of their game. As goes any truly entertaining album, the great songs are dispersed throughout. This gives good reason to listen to the whole things—plus, the last two songs (Cold Year and Stall) are both new studio tracks. Better Than Ezra hasn’t released a new studio album since 2001’s Closer so for now this disc and those new songs will just have to fill the void left in fans’ lives. This is an album that flows nicely. In fact, listening to it gives me the feeling of actually being at the House of Blues in New Orleans on the evening it was recorded. It feels intimate and sparkles with light and life that only was touched on in their studio releases.
Indeed I really, honestly do take pleasure in Live at the House of Blues New Orleans. It reminds me of a simpler time when production wasn’t as important as content and where talent was more important than any trend or “look.” The music here speaks for itself—beautiful to hear not to mention most importantly thoughtful and intelligent. I’ve already spoken a bit to my adoration for Desperately Wanting. It is as interpreted live it is sweeping and gentle with a dash of suspense and pop yumminess. It all works wonderfully—as wonderful or better than anything else from Better Than Ezra.
While Desperately Wanting is easily my favorite song from the band and wraps up the live offerings on this album, there are many more opportunities for pleasure. Misunderstood kicks the songs off with a fabulous swaggering melody and Griffin’s easy and boyish vocal style. This track is among a bunch all culled from Closer (2001). This group is outstanding and yielded some of the best songs of this live release including Extra Ordinary, Rolling, and A Lifetime. Rolling is a shiny, gorgeous song with pianos and stings to spice things up. It is a fantastic example of creative and mellow modern pop.
The most recognizable songs here are easily Good, King of New Orleans and Rosealia. Don’t make the mistake of limiting yourself to the hits—Live at House of Blues New Orleans is full of great pop tunes. Even the new songs Cold Year and Stall are exactly the kind of songs I’ve come to expect from Better Than Ezra. The band emits a certain amount of intensity which I find refreshing. They don’t try to be falsely angry, and instead rely on their words to tell their story. But as always, I return to the fantastic words in Desperately Wanting:
I remember running through the wet grass
Falling a step behind
Both of us never tiring
Desperately Wanting
If you are already a fan of Better Than Ezra, then this album is a no-brainer. It’s an excellent and emotional live offering. However, if you are just starting out with the New Orleans band may I suggest investigating their studio releases first. Live at House of Blues New Orleans acts in some ways like a greatest hits LP, but there is still something to be said about hearing songs as they were first intended to be heard. I highly recommend this album but only after Deluxe, Friction, Baby, How Does Your Garden Grow?, and Closer. This is a band that certainly deserves more attention.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Intro
02. Misunderstood [Closer, 2001]
03. Good [Deluxe, 1995]
04. Rolling [Closer, 2001]
05. Live Again [How Does Your Garden Grow?, 1998]
06. Get You In [Closer, 2001]
07. Extra Ordinary [Closer, 2001]
08. King of New Orleans [Friction, Baby, 1996]
09. Rosealia [Deluxe, 1995]
10. At the Stars [How Does Your Garden Grow?, 1998]
11. A Lifetime [Closer, 2001]
12. In the Blood [Deluxe, 1995]
13. Porcelain [Deluxe, 1995]
14. Sincerely, Me [Closer, 2001]
15. Desperately Wanting [Friction, Baby, 1996]
16. Cold Year [new]
17. Stall [new]
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