LIVE
Secret Samadhi (Radioactive)
Rating: ****
By Craig Rosen

   “Selling The Drama” was the name of one of the big hits on Live’s 1994 breakthrough album Throwing Copper. Rarely has a song title so aptly captured a band’s modus operandi. This quartet, comprising four earnest, small-town Pennsylvania school chums, writes big bombastic songs filled with passion, angst and, yes, drama.
   That’s not necessarily a bad thing in a day filled with cutesy Weezer wannabes and one-hit wonder novelty acts, but when listening to the 12 songs on Secret Samadhi, Live’s third album, you can’t help but wish that singer/lyricist Edward Kowalczyk would lighten up a little. On occasion, Kowalczyk--now known as Edward, rather than Ed, thank you--drops a funny line. He rhymes “church” with “Lurch” (as in The Addams Family) in “Rattlesnake,” complains that “puke smells like beer” in “Century” and ponders the hypothetical scenario, “If the mother goes to sleep with you /Will you run and tell Geraldo?” on “Freaks.” Yet Kowalcyzk sings those lines with all the solemnity of a judge delivering a death sentence to a serial killer, rather than deflating some of the histrionics with a nod and a wink.
   While Kowalcyzk sticks with the ultra-serious tone throughout the album, Live does mix things up a bit musically. “Lakini’s Juice” rocks with Chad Taylor’s grinding guitar. “Ghost” is buoyed by the hypnotic backing vocals provided by Elysian Fields singer Jennifer Charles and “Merica” swings with a looseness inspired by an R.E.M.-like instrument switch. In addition, the bittersweet “Turn My Head” should join U2’s “One” in prom-dance heaven.
   In all, even if there’s no fun allowed, Secret Samadhi proves that Live remains a very good rock band. They won’t be truly great, however, until they discover that drama is even more effective when it’s mixed with some humor.