Live • Songs From Black Mountain

C

There is nothing wrong with finding God. And there is nothing wrong with singing about it. U2, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and others have effectively shared their conversions, giving listeners a personal account of their spiritual journeys without succumbing to sentimentality or overwrought clichés.

Sadly, the same can no longer be said about Live. Songs From Black Mountain, Live's seventh album, is melodically pleasing, but painfully generic. And while the songs themselves aren't exactly horrible, they simply aren't interesting. The fault this time out rests solely in the lyrics; they read like a Hallmark Card for someone who has found God. There are no profound revelations, inspired musings, or divine inquiries. While Live was a band that was good at raising questions, (see their near masterpiece Throwing Copper), they falter when selling the answer. This is Live, with lyrics as penned by Scott Stapp.