Live: Edward Kowalczyk (vocals, guitar); Chad Taylor (guitar); Patrick Dahlheimer (bass); Chad Gracey (drums).

Additional personnel: Christopher Thorn (guitar, slide guitar); Adam Kowalczyk (guitar); Michael Railton, Jerry Harrison (keyboards).

Throughout much of the '90s, Live has been tabbed to inherit the serious rock mantle from R.E.M. and U2. On their fourth album, the four childhood friends continue down this path as they once again don their hair-shirts of tortured introspection and inquisitiveness. Former Talking Head Jerry Harrison returns behind the board after previous production stints on MENTAL JEWELERY and THROWING COPPER. As was the case on these previous Live albums, Harrison harnesses the band's chemistry in a way that reinforces frontman Ed Kowalczyk's weighty lyrics.

Kowalczyk howls with controlled ferocity as he sings about various spiritual quests that occur via Western ("The Distance") and Eastern ("Meltdown") doctrines of religion. Guitarist Chad Taylor fuels this fervor with unbridled fury on the tempestuous "We Walk in the Dream" and the roiling "Sun." Live even updates its meat-and-potatoes instrumental setup by adding a dollop of loops to the already enticing "Voodoo Lady." For as much unchecked passion that this Pennsylvania quartet can muster, the band also demonstrates an uncanny mastery of dynamics, whether it's on the tortured gusto of "When Dolphins Cry" or the gorgeous ethereality of "We Walk in the Dream."

Rolling Stone (10/28/99, pp.99-100) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...[Live] finds enough peace to make some very pretty music....THE DISTANCE TO HERE...offers drama to fans still craving it..."

Q (12/99, p.138) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Everything here has a hyper earnest, end-of-the-world quality...driven by [Ed] Kowalczyk's anxious vocals and Chad Taylor's and Patrick Dahlheimer's spiraling guitars....buzzes with inspiration..."