Across a Wire: Live in New York

Performer: Counting Crows
Engineer: John Harris; Bob Clearmountain
Producer: Nancy McDonald
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Counting Crows: Adam Duritz (vocals, piano); Dan Vickrey (acoustic & electric guitar, banjo, background vocals); David Bryson (guitar, dobro, background vocals); Charles Gillingham (harmonica, accordion, piano, background vocals); Matt Malley (acoustic and electric bass, background vocals); Ben Mize (drums, background vocals). Disc 1 was recorded at Chelsea Studios, New York, New York on August 12, 1997. Disc 2 was recorded at the Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, New York on November 6, 1997. Includes liner notes by Bill Flanagan and Adam Duritz. Counting Crows: Matt Malley (vocals, piano, bass guitar); Adam Duritz (vocals); David Bryson, Dani Vickery (guitar); Charlie Gillingham (keyboards); Ben Mize (drums). In putting out ACROSS A WIRE as a live double-album, Counting Crows appear to be living on the edge of audacity having only released two records. These San Francisco natives blow away any of these notions with the unique complexity and nuance found within their music and live presentation. WIRE shows off two sides of the same coin by including performances from VH1 Storytellers and MTV Live From The 10 Spot. The audio version of Storytellers omits any narration regarding song origin and focuses entirely on reworked versions of the band's material. Songs such as "Round Here" and "Have You Seen Me Lately?" are radically stripped down so that by the time the full band is playing on "Ghost Train," the shimmering guitar and melancholy organ interplay make for a mesmerizing experience. On disc two, the Crows forgo restraint and tear into numbers such as "Angels Of The Silences" and "Have You Seen Me Lately?," complete with slashing guitars and pounding piano. Recorded on the last date of their American tour, cuts like "Children In Bloom" and "A Long December" take on an added poignancy as the connection between fans and band is palpable even through a set of headphones.

In the midst of the early 1990s grunge boom, Counting Crows emerged as an alternative to the heavy, alienated sounds of the Kurt Cobain crowd. The California band harked back to the classic '60s folk-rock sounds of the Band, Bob Dylan, and Van Morrison. Poetic frontman Adam Duritz proved quirky and charismatic enough to endear himself to the millions who bought the group's debut album. Neatly avoiding the notorious sophomore jinx, the follow-up album was even more accomplished, if not as commercially successful.

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