A common issue with live recordings of metal/hardcore bands is that the intensity of their live show often doesn't come off well. Whatever flair, atmosphere, or showmanship the band displays is annoyingly lost leaving them sounding nothing like they do on record. Sadly, this is the case with Daughters live at CBGB recording. Featuring songs from their first two LPs as well as their 2002 EP, Daughters haphazardly stumble through this live recording, leaving the songs sounding nothing like they did on the previously mentioned releases. The guitars are too low in the mix, leaving whatever piercing, invasive effect the guitars usually had on their first two LPs totally absent. This is a real shame, as one of Daughters best attributes was their uniquely high pitched whinnying guitars that would threateningly layer over and oscillate along with the blastbeats. The vocals sound strained at times, losing the ominous presence it had on the LPs, with the quasi drunk Elvis drawl that he’s so known for gone, leaving him sounding more like just a man hoarsely shouting. The drums in general have deteriorated into an incomprehensible mess, which gets annoyingly repetitive as the whole recording sounds like one endless blastbeat. The songs on Daughter’s first LP were hard enough to tell apart already, but on this they are indistinguishable.
Now, I’m sure that Daughters live are a force to be reckoned with, what with the antics of their singer and the general intensity of their performance making up for their sloppiness, but on a single live recording none of that is transferred. Not that the songs recorded on this are bad though, they’re generally all well composed songs, but they've sadly lost their quality. The reason for this is that Daughter's performance is just messy; while the original material itself was messy, with an insane charm to it, when recorded in a live setting it comes off as amateur . Due to this, Daughters now feel very tame, which is just plain disappointing. Overall, you’re better off listening to the studio versions.
