Live Trax Vol. 57

I want to love this release—it’s Summer 1998!—but no matter how many times I listen to it, I walk away feeling like it’s good but not great. There are highs like GRANNY, TWO STEP, BEST, and STAY (except for the awkwardly clipped ending). But there are also uncomfortable moments like Boyd’s solo during the SEEK UP outro (what is that effect on his violin?), the botched lyrics to CRUSH and STONE (CRUSH is clunky all around), the (at least to me) very awkward SAY BYE, and the thin-sounding Chet in TRIPPING. There was an undeniable shift in the seriousness of the band’s performances with the addition of the BTCS material, and it feels like this show happened a little before they had fully figured the material out. That said, it’s a great casual listen in that you can really appreciate the era the band was in without focusing too much on its lesser moments.