I bought this years ago expecting to have wasted my money. I was so wrong! I was astounded and mystified. Astounded at the wonderful music and mystified that I had never heard of them. The name LIVE seemed odd, but why not. The singing is powerful and the drums too. I'm not spiritual, but this music is and that is just fine. All time favorite release by LIVE.
March 25, 2008 |  | Live - Solid Debut Effort |  |
I first became aware of live after seeing their video from this album. There was something about them that caught me and I went out and picked this album up. The band would go on to fame and fortune hitting the big time a few years later with their "Throwing Copper" album, but this their debut disc really paved the way for what was to come. If I could sum up this album with one work I think it would be "passion". There is something uniquely passionate about the performances on this album that many bands try for, but few come across as sincere. Like U2 and only a handful of other band's Live has the ability to truly make the listener believe in what they are singing and playing about. This album was recorded when the band members were all still in their teens. As other reviewers have noted the band sounds a lot "older" than what they actually were. I really like every song on this disc. If you are a Live fan and don't have this one you should definitely pick it up.
August 27, 2007 | | Where it all began...(4.5 stars) | |
This is Live's first effort, released when Ed and band were still 19! I use the exclaimation point not because of their age, but because the songs on Mental Jewelry sound much...at the risk of offending people..."older" than most teenage, angsty, Nirvana-esque efforts which were of course all the rage back in this time period.
Musically, if you've heard Live previously or not, the first thing you will/should notice is thick smatterings of bass guitar all over the place. That sort of bass lead just isn't around anymore...this cd makes you wonder why. It adds a whole new texture to the songs.
Lyrically, the words are raw, heartfelt. You wouldn't expect a 19 year old with a social consciousness to pull any punches and by no means are you disappointed. Live manage to confront religious shortcomings (Operation Spirit), the status quo (Good Pain) and world peace (10000 Years) no less through the course of this album.
Also, Ed finds time to be more introspective in songs such as the aptly named Tired of Me and Mirror Song as well as in the opening track Pain Lies on the Riverside.
The only downside (and hence the half-star) is that there is maybe 1 ballad too many on this cd. It needs just 1 more track like Operation Spirit and 1 less like You Are The World. Having said that, there isn't a bad track on this album and you will appreciate it more with each listen.
In particular, Brothers Unaware really snuck up on me. One of my faves on the album. Watch out for it.
May 16, 2007 | | worst album of the nineties | |
These guys are the biggest joke in rock music. All of these 5 star reviews are an even bigger joke. Ed Kowizsychik(SP) or however you want to spell it sounds as pathetic as he looks. This is garbage, plain & simple. Im glad radio is no longer saturated with their music. 20 years from now, no one will remember this group.
September 9, 2006 Mental Jewelry is an album that is acquired listening. You might not like it at first but over time it will wear on you. It's hard to believe that the whole band is only around nineteen years old when they wrote it. Their lead singer has a very deep and emotional voice. The songs are very deep and the fact that the band based their music from the teachings of an eastern philosopher by the name of Jiddu Krishnamurti is intriguing. This is a great album and one that will give something new with every listen.
May 17, 2006More reviews at Amazon.com ...
(64 reviews)