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: : RPWL –
Live - Start the Fire : :
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.
8.75/10
Reviewer: Josh Turner
: : Visit the Artist’s Website : :
: : Discography : :
Trying to Kiss the Sun - 2002
Stock - 2003
World Through My Eyes - 2005
Start the Fire (Live) - 2005 |
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