Live in Boston audio CD is putting me to zzz...

[CarneVaca]

All right. Not quite. But, I gotta tell you, this audio CD, which is all I have had a chance to play so far, is a big disappointment. Eyes of the World and Stand Back are really the only stand-out songs. And Stand Back doesn't even belong in this set, if you ask me. It really doesn't fit with the rest of the songs. While, in concert it's fine -- it's a great song -- on CD it's a bit jolting.

Be that as it may, the CD is a snoozer. I like the sound because it seems to have more a of a live feel than The Dance, though there's something about it that's bothering me. I haven't quite put my finger on it. The main vocal seems to be slightly right of center, but that may be because I am listening on crappy headphones at work. On Go Your Own Way, for instance, the backup vocalists take over. You can't hear Lindsey much and Stevie is inaudible.

Eyes of the World is really the jewel here. What a fantastic arrangement. I'm glad I got to see IKINW live, and now I get this rocking version of Eyes. I daresay this sounds better to my ears than the Cradle tour version. That thunderous backbeat is tremendous and the guitar work is excellent.

Speaking of guitar work, whoever mixed Stevie's songs deserves a huge kick in the ass. The keyboard on Rhiannon totally overpowers the song. Lindsey's guitar work is buried. How stupid is that, considering that guitar riff is the most recognizable part of the song? And I noticed Go Your Own Way had the same screwy mix as when I saw the band last week: Lindsey's solo at the end is buried while the riff played by one of the backup guitarists overpowers the lead guitar. This is obviously intentional. Too bad. I would have preferred Lindsey's guitar upfront in the mix.

Anyhoo, just my initial reactions. More later.