(Rock/Alternative/Folk) Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals - Live From Mars

[Tangy zizzle]

Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals - Live From Mars

http://www.benharper.net/discography/lp/mars.jpg


Album: Live From Mars (2 discs)
Artist: Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
Released: 2001

Tracks:

Disc One. (Electric)

1. Glory & Consequence
2. Excuse Me Mr.
3. Alone
4. Sexual Healing
5. The Woman in You
6. Ground On Down
7. Steal My Kisses
8. Burn One Down
9. Mama's Got a Girlfriend Now
10. Welcome To The Cruel World
11. Forgiven
12. Faded / Whole Lotta Love

Disc Two. (Acoustic)

1. Waiting on an Angel
2. Roses From My Friends
3. Power of the Gospel
4. Pleasure and Pain
5. Please Bleed
6. The Drugs Don't Work
7. In the Lord's Arms
8. Not Fire, Not Ice
9. Beloved One
10. Number Three
11. Walk Away
12. Another Lonely Day
13. Like A King / I'll Rise

Many artists release a live album as a filler between studio cuts. Many of these albums are just for selling purposes, contract expectations or collectability. Many of these albums are just average and don't really capture the band at their best. This is not one of those albums.

Live From Mars consists of two discs, and electric and an acoustic. The concert was recorded in France, near the end of 2000 (I believe so). This is the ultimate live experience. Capturing Ben & the Criminals explosive, powerful and surprising electric show and also the tender, seductive, emotional and intimate solo set of Ben with just his mouth and guitar.

The band on this album consists of Ben on Guitars (Electric, acoustic, weissenborn) and Vocals, Juan Nelson on Bass/Vocals, Dean Butterworth on Drums/Vocals, David Leac on Percussion and Nick Rich and Rahzel lending their beatbox talents.

Disc One.

1.Glory & Consequence

The perfect opener. This track is one of my favourites on the first disc and is a stunner. Ben shows us that he is capable of rocking with the best of them and gives us a song with fuzzy and catchy riffs. Excellent lyrics aswell. I love the extended jam at the end.(4.2/5)

2.Excuse Me Mr.

So much better than on CD, Excuse Me Mr is great. I don't particularly like the studio version of this but this an awesome cut. A mellow but powerful song with a good message. (4/5)

3.Alone

First song on the album to truly blow me away, and it still does to this day. A very simple, but effective riff. This is quite an easy song to play but Ben make's it sound magical. This is quite a dark piece which is uncommon for Ben. Juan's bass ( to me) is the glue that holds this song together. I think if Jimi Hendrix ever sobered up and got depressed, this could very well be one of his. The solo is so powerful is quite haunting. Great, great song. (5/5)

4.Sexual Healing

A cover of the famous Marvin Gaye song. Ben has a real knack for covering song's and making them sound better than the original. He does that on this one and Sexual Healing becomes a very fun song. One for the ladies. (4.1/5)

5.Woman In You

A very, very soulful love song. Woman In You is Ben's most sexy song. Gives off a strong D'Angelo and Purple Rain vibe. Ben's emotion is running high on this one. It goes into a surpisingly heavy/overdriven Weissenborn solo with Ben's haunting wailing competing over the top of the whole-band's distorted noise. It come's back to the main riff and Ben's beautiful falsetto vocals. (4.5/5)

6.Ground On Down

This song opens with an improvised Weissenborn jam, very distorted. Could be the heaviest song on the album. Just plain cool. Ben's lyrics remind me of a not so cryptic Bob Dylan, which is a good thing. Sounds alot like the studio effort, just more power and has a great solo. Ben sure can play! (4.6/5)

7.Steal My Kisses

I've never really liked this song, and the live version doesn't really change my opinion. It's a fun song, but I just don't like it. Rahzel's beatboxing is very cool though. (3/5)

8.Burn One Down

I love the steel drum/bongo (?) intro before the guitar come's in. Every stoner's theme song. Similar to the studio, with the exception of the more rangey vocals. (4/5)

9. Mama's Got A Girlfriend

Funniest song on the album, very bluegrassy. Sounds like a backyard Jug band having a Jam. Despite the looseness of the lyrics, still quite meaningful. I love the slide guitar on this track. Very cool song, perfect for summer. (4.3/5)

10.Welcome To The Cruel World

What can I about this song? Probably my favourite on the whole album, definately my fave from Disc 1. Slowest song on the album. This song convey's so many emotions in me, and I've been known to have the odd tear in my eye after listening to it (seriously). It's sad, but uplifting, slow but powerful. The extremely basic drums really steer this song. I can't listen to any other version of this song, no others can come close. 5 minutes and 53 seconds or pure bliss.(5+/5)

11.Forgiven

Third longest song on the album at 9.27. I get a little bored listening to it, but it's still superb. Great guitar improvisation from Ben on this one. Start's off with an extended jam, with haunting falsetto wails and very nice percussion in the background(sounds like rain). Once the song actually get's going, it really get's going. One of the hardest rocking song's I've ever heard live. Despite it's longevity, an excellent track. (4.8/5)

12.Faded/Whole Lotta Love

At 10.45, this is the longest song on the album by far. Has a great switch from the actual song into Led Zeppelin's famed Whole Lotta Love then back to Faded. Again, great guitarring and a great effort from the whole band. Has the best solo on the album, in between the song switch. Ben does Robert Plant and Jimmy Page surprisingly well. (4.6/5)

[Tangy zizzle]

Disc Two.

1.Waiting On An Angel

Great, great way to open this exceptional second disc. A very heartfelt little number, that like alot of this disc loosely deals with Religion. A simple Ben Harper signature riff, repetitive but oh-so effective. Tender vocals. A lovely ballad. (4.4/5)

2.Roses From My Friends

Another song that has brought me to tears more than once. Very differerent than the studio version, and a lot better. The chorus on this is one of the most memorable I've ever heard. I don't know how this guy does it, but every strum of the guitar sounds different and new to the last. Truly beautiful song, with an end verse that could make Keith Richards cry. "This may be the last time that I see you, so of this moment I will make the most, This may be the last time I see but if you keep me in your heart, together, we shall be eternal, if you believe we shall never, never part" I love it. (5+/5)

3.Power Of The Gospel

The intro to this was the first thing I learnt on guitar, and it sounds so good. Another religious-y song, with very powerful and true lyrics. When Ben plays the intro, you can not hear a single breath from the audience, it's so damn powerful. Again, a simple and repetitive riff but the song just pounds away. Ben displays some gorgeous vocals on this little gem, a great song to play when around friends. (5/5)

4.Pleasure & Pain

One of my least favourites on the album. A boring song, slow and doesn't really go anywhere. Still a good song, just not a high-point. (3.2/5)

5.Please Bleed

This a very conflicted, emotional song. Ben lay's it all out on the table with this one. So much stronger than the hard-rocking studio cut. Sounds very different to the original, and that is a definate good thing. The closing minute and a half of this song is probably the emotional climx of the album. The vocals just give way under the pressure and a hoarse scream is let out. An outstanding song, a definate highlight. (5/5)

6. The Drugs Don't Work

Ben cover's the verve on this one. I dunno if it's better than the original, but it sure aint worse. Sounds very cool with the Ben Harper touch given to it. There is a cool echo effect added on to the vocals that sounds quite eerie. Very solid track. (4.7/5)

7.In The Lord's Arms

A very pretty and fragile song. Could easily be sung in church, but it doesn't sound like a church song. Tell's a very nice little story, one of Ben's best. (4.5/5)

8.Not Fire, Not Ice

Another beautiful love song. The person he's alking about must mean a hell of a lot to him, very powerful and honest lyrics. Simple - "There is nothing, can keep me from loving you... Not fire, and no, not Ice" - but very effective. A very beautiful song, I played it for my Mum and she cried. (5/5)

9. Beloved One

This song has very cool guitarring that follows a great chord progression. Another love song with great lyrics. Typical for Harper, but still an outstanding little number. (4.6/5)

10.#3

2:31 of solo instrumental. A very cool sounding little piece, really shows of Ben's talents as a player. can't say alot about this song, except that it's a highlight. (5/5)

11.Walk Away

A superb song. For some bizarre reason I didn't listen to this song for like the first 7 months of having this album, I didn't realise it was on there. Once i heard it I was overjoyed, such a brilliant song. It's a very sad song, but it isn't dramatic or cliched. I can't say enough about this track. An incredibly delicate ballad. (5/5)

12.Another Lonely Day

Like Alone, this is a suprisingly dark song. Ben must've been in a bad state when he wrote this, it's incredibly depressing. It's a very barren and haunting song. It's beautiful, but beautiful like a dead supermodel - a lifeless beauty. I like the song, but can't listen to it often becuase of it's bleak emotion. (4.6/5)

13.Like A King/I'll Rise

The most political effort by Ben Harper to date, Like A King is a potently severe song. It deals with the two black kings - Martin Luther and Rodney. Very cool slide guitar on this one. It switches to a vocalised version of a Maya Angelou poem/social commentary half way through. I'll Rise is a very sparse and challenging little song. Once it start's it commands attention, and it deserves it. Good stuff. (5/5)

Well there it is, my review. I cannot say enough about this effort, but the good definately outweighs the bad (which there is very little). A very lifechanging album for me, I hope you enjoyed the review and if you don't know the album, are curious about checking it out.

My Final Rating.

A definate 10/10.

[Tangy zizzle]

Thanks badmoon. I'll delete my post aswell.

Cheers buddy.

[ZEROthirtythree]

This Ben Harper sounds like a talented guy.

[Tangy zizzle]

He is Greta, he is.

[Bartender]

Thanks for the review man. I've only heard the one song (Like A King/I'll Rise), but I'd give it a 6/5 on it's own. I'd more or less decided to buy this album anyway, but such a good review just cements it. Thanks again.

[Tangy zizzle]

You won't regret buying this. It is a modern classic.

[ZEROthirtythree]

He is Greta, he is.

:eek:

I didn't know so many people knew my name.

[Badmoon]

As I said before, good job :thumb:

I only have The Will to Live (which I really like), but I have been looking for this one. :)

[Tomahawk]

Great review, this CD is awesome. I probably wouldn't rate it as highly as this review did, but it's still awesome. Definitely Ben Harper's best album.

[Tapeworm]

Great review. I have about 4 or 5 of Ben's albums, and I love this one the most.

[e p]

Great review:thumb:
This helped me decide to buy it. Thanks again.

[40 oz 2 freedom]

"The Will To Live" is one of my favorite albums, so I'll check this out.

[Bartender]

Found this on sale for £5, so I bought it as one of my inaugural Leeds purchases. Only had it a week or so, but I'm loving it so far.

[Pao Ferro]

One of the few CD's that's changed my life.

I never knew emotion in music until this CD.

[Scott Herren]

This was my favorite album for about 4 months.

[giddy]

Check out his new album with The Blind Boys of Alabama.

[OrbDragon]

This is my second favorite live album. My favorite track is "Alone".

[Deathapalooza04]

Good review. I bought this album when It first came out and I still listen to it sometimes. Just wish I coulda been there to see it live.

[OrbDragon]

Bens cover of "The Drugs Don't Work" butchers the original IMO, and I'm a fan of Ashcroft/The Verve stuff.

[BMM]

great review. my favorite cd ever. these versions of the songs are incredible