A Live Ep From Nick Cove & The Wandering
The latest from Nick Cove & The Wandering gives us a glimpse at what the band comes together like in a live setting with a shimmery and edgy progressive rock undertone and an array of almost cinematic and very enticing performances.
The Live at the Kaleidoscope EP is packed with character and storytelling that even in this live show setting, comes through incredibly Lush and full-bodied with textures that flow into each other.
There's so much about this EP that feels theatrical and engulfing. This is mostly because of the actual songwriting which has a way of pulling you in and keeping you there. But there's also the performance itself which at times leaves you forgetting that it's live because the recording is so well done.
But you do get that amazing sound of players that are feeding off of each other's energies and that in itself becomes something addictive.
When the record is over you actually sort of feel like you just watched the performance and are stepping back out. So it has a great way of taking you to a different place and letting you find your way back.
I think that aspect is something pretty wonderful because this is what a lot of music is supposed to do. It's supposed to take you away like an escape.
Guitars well, pianos slam, drums rumble, and vocals belt with a subtle dynamic poise that lets everything glue together and become one.
This record is actually quite graceful in reality. The songs have a great edge to them and there's some great classic rock undertones in there that go along with the driving sound of the record, but there's also a sort of sweetness to it that softens it slightly and that feels good.
What's more is that you can tell everyone performing in this band, on this night, has a pure love for what they're doing at that moment.
You can feel some of the excitement of the band and even though everything is done so professionally and everyone is very tight as a band and as musicians, there's this little touch of looseness there and a lot of personality and character.
These are the aspects that make this record genuine and authentic.
The logical thing to do after this obviously is to go and check out the rest of the Nick Cove & The Wandering catalog which ends up being a mixture of studio recorded songs and other live performances.
So it's pretty obvious this project in particular is more in love with the live shows than anything else. That is evident in the performances.
A wonderful live EP from an excellent seasoned band of musicians that have been paving their own path.
This is one to enjoy with headphones.