Re: Songs From the Road -- My Review
Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:20 am
*****************************************************************************************************
POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERT
‘Songs from the Road’ arrived to Israel on September 2nd and I rushed to get my copy.
This is my review following watching it. though I don't disclose any details that should be kept as surprise, like the 'Backstage Sketch' (even not repeating some that were revealed on the official trailer)- if you wish to know absolutely nothing about it until you watch it yourself for the first time, this is the place to stop, I won’t be offended…
*****************************************************************************************************
I know I was smiling when I removed the plastic cover off the pack. I didn’t realize I was still wearing that smile ‘til the ending note of the DVD arrived and I realized my cheeks slightly hurt..
With that excitement, I share my impressions.
The beautiful cover photo by Dominique Issermann we got a glimpse at from the official PR is accompanied by additional ones, just as beautiful, mostly by her and some by Lorca Cohen. The booklet opens with preface by Leon Wieseltier from The New Republic and proceeds with Ed Sanders’ Producers Notes, written like a mini-journal, explaining his song choices.
The fact that the first track is ‘Lover Lover Lover’ from Israel threw me back almost one year in time (how did a year go by this fast??). We’re 2 days away from the High Holidays during which the concert took place - the unmistakable atmosphere in the air that precedes them is already here and that thought alone filled me with tears of excitement.
Any song chosen from this concert would be pure magic. They were all stellar. Some had more local significance than others, and such is ‘Lover Lover Lover’ – written following LC’s time in Israel during the Yom Kippur War in 1973, absorbed with layers over layers of meanings:
To name a few among many I personally see: This war was such a bloody battlefield, the toll in human lives was so enormous, LC was at the frontier, singing to soldiers; he could have not escaped the sights of death.. Name in Judaism has tremendous meaning, some believe it has the power to grant life or call death. If one changes his name, one changes his destiny and may start over.. Yom Kippur was 3 days after the concert, making the song’s presence on the setlist even more significant.
Pushing Play
I didn’t know they had cameras way up at the very top of the stadium taking aerial shots. The track opens with beautiful black and white shots of this huge stadium which LC and band transformed into a holy haven that night, measuring its size, focusing on an abundance of happy faces and tens of thousands clapping hands. With the first notes of the song, the picture is brought to full colored life, focuses on the stage; you can hear the clapping pick up the beat and then the camera moves towards the crowd, where you don’t only hear, but also see that sea of hands holding green glowing light sticks clapping in unison.
It’s few seconds into the DVD and I’m already having a wow moment…
With the applause marking the end of this magnificent déjà-vu, I took a virtual passport in hand and went on a joyous voyage around the world, song after song, enjoying the many cameras that are evidently in the house, providing abundance of unique angles and great close-ups that magnify the beauty of each performance and echo Ed’s comments on what led him pick that particular song over others..
People who were at concerts included in the DVD may wonder why one song was chosen over another, as well as other songs not being included at all.
True, there are concerts we all agree that a certain song or moment was the “it” moment of the evening, but I find this mostly a matter of personal taste rather than a universal one. Personally, I wouldn’t mind having full length recording of every single concert.. I don’t envy Ed’s mission of choosing only 12 songs out of nearly 200 magical nights and am very happy with the choices.
With one possible exception slight wondering about ‘Closing Time’- a fitting last track. Those of us who were in San Jose will probably always wonder why the blouse throwing galore is only mentioned in Ed’s comments and didn’t make it in
Backstage Sketch:
Now here’s a real treat. “Notes from the Ground” has been allowing us a photographic sneak peek to the tour’s backstage since the recent summer leg started, and this is a rare opportunity to see live footage from backstage life: tidbits, anecdotes, and mini-interviews with some band and crew members. Watching it makes you feel like you’re watching live footage documenting moments in the life of a big family – the synergy between them all is so evidently there, that even when you know for a fact it’s truly like that, it still makes you sigh with contentment and have that LC related smile come upon your face.. again…
Though filled with joy and wishing to share my feelings, I won’t, as I am afraid it would really be a spoiler. I will only say that Dino has a great comic side and his words, as well as others’, on what working with LC means for them really touched me. I was also in awe with a ritual conducted by LC they seem to have in the Green Room before going out to stage.
Some people asked me ‘why would you buy a DVD that has individual songs from different shows when you have a full length one in ‘Live in London’?’
Yeah, I know, a rhetorical question… But if there’s a slight chance you’re asking yourself the same thing – do not hesitate. Go ahead and get it. It isn’t meant to replace ‘Live in London’, but to be a faithful neighbor to it on your music shelf. Certain moods would lead to a certain selection and we’ll all keep pushing play - that’s how it goes, Everybody Knows..
Thanks Ed Sanders, Lorca Cohen and everyone who took part in producing this album. It’s a great Rosh HaShana gift.
Speedy album delivery wishes to you all,
--Sharon
POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERT
‘Songs from the Road’ arrived to Israel on September 2nd and I rushed to get my copy.
This is my review following watching it. though I don't disclose any details that should be kept as surprise, like the 'Backstage Sketch' (even not repeating some that were revealed on the official trailer)- if you wish to know absolutely nothing about it until you watch it yourself for the first time, this is the place to stop, I won’t be offended…
*****************************************************************************************************
I know I was smiling when I removed the plastic cover off the pack. I didn’t realize I was still wearing that smile ‘til the ending note of the DVD arrived and I realized my cheeks slightly hurt..
With that excitement, I share my impressions.
The beautiful cover photo by Dominique Issermann we got a glimpse at from the official PR is accompanied by additional ones, just as beautiful, mostly by her and some by Lorca Cohen. The booklet opens with preface by Leon Wieseltier from The New Republic and proceeds with Ed Sanders’ Producers Notes, written like a mini-journal, explaining his song choices.
The fact that the first track is ‘Lover Lover Lover’ from Israel threw me back almost one year in time (how did a year go by this fast??). We’re 2 days away from the High Holidays during which the concert took place - the unmistakable atmosphere in the air that precedes them is already here and that thought alone filled me with tears of excitement.
Any song chosen from this concert would be pure magic. They were all stellar. Some had more local significance than others, and such is ‘Lover Lover Lover’ – written following LC’s time in Israel during the Yom Kippur War in 1973, absorbed with layers over layers of meanings:
To name a few among many I personally see: This war was such a bloody battlefield, the toll in human lives was so enormous, LC was at the frontier, singing to soldiers; he could have not escaped the sights of death.. Name in Judaism has tremendous meaning, some believe it has the power to grant life or call death. If one changes his name, one changes his destiny and may start over.. Yom Kippur was 3 days after the concert, making the song’s presence on the setlist even more significant.
Pushing Play
I didn’t know they had cameras way up at the very top of the stadium taking aerial shots. The track opens with beautiful black and white shots of this huge stadium which LC and band transformed into a holy haven that night, measuring its size, focusing on an abundance of happy faces and tens of thousands clapping hands. With the first notes of the song, the picture is brought to full colored life, focuses on the stage; you can hear the clapping pick up the beat and then the camera moves towards the crowd, where you don’t only hear, but also see that sea of hands holding green glowing light sticks clapping in unison.
It’s few seconds into the DVD and I’m already having a wow moment…
With the applause marking the end of this magnificent déjà-vu, I took a virtual passport in hand and went on a joyous voyage around the world, song after song, enjoying the many cameras that are evidently in the house, providing abundance of unique angles and great close-ups that magnify the beauty of each performance and echo Ed’s comments on what led him pick that particular song over others..
People who were at concerts included in the DVD may wonder why one song was chosen over another, as well as other songs not being included at all.
True, there are concerts we all agree that a certain song or moment was the “it” moment of the evening, but I find this mostly a matter of personal taste rather than a universal one. Personally, I wouldn’t mind having full length recording of every single concert.. I don’t envy Ed’s mission of choosing only 12 songs out of nearly 200 magical nights and am very happy with the choices.
With one possible exception slight wondering about ‘Closing Time’- a fitting last track. Those of us who were in San Jose will probably always wonder why the blouse throwing galore is only mentioned in Ed’s comments and didn’t make it in
Backstage Sketch:
Now here’s a real treat. “Notes from the Ground” has been allowing us a photographic sneak peek to the tour’s backstage since the recent summer leg started, and this is a rare opportunity to see live footage from backstage life: tidbits, anecdotes, and mini-interviews with some band and crew members. Watching it makes you feel like you’re watching live footage documenting moments in the life of a big family – the synergy between them all is so evidently there, that even when you know for a fact it’s truly like that, it still makes you sigh with contentment and have that LC related smile come upon your face.. again…
Though filled with joy and wishing to share my feelings, I won’t, as I am afraid it would really be a spoiler. I will only say that Dino has a great comic side and his words, as well as others’, on what working with LC means for them really touched me. I was also in awe with a ritual conducted by LC they seem to have in the Green Room before going out to stage.
Some people asked me ‘why would you buy a DVD that has individual songs from different shows when you have a full length one in ‘Live in London’?’
Yeah, I know, a rhetorical question… But if there’s a slight chance you’re asking yourself the same thing – do not hesitate. Go ahead and get it. It isn’t meant to replace ‘Live in London’, but to be a faithful neighbor to it on your music shelf. Certain moods would lead to a certain selection and we’ll all keep pushing play - that’s how it goes, Everybody Knows..
Thanks Ed Sanders, Lorca Cohen and everyone who took part in producing this album. It’s a great Rosh HaShana gift.
Speedy album delivery wishes to you all,
--Sharon
And, Leonard Cohen, too! I can't wait to get a copy of this!