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Первый официальный концертник Нолана-сотоварици, выпущенный, на мой взгляд, несколько преждевременно.
Я, честно говоря, хоть и любитель "живых" альбомов, но все же считаю, что официальная дискография не должна быть перегружена "зальниками", в которых нота в ноту сыграны вещи из совсем недавних студийных альбомов. Впрочем, Pendragon, например, пошли еще дальше: у них "живые" альбомы выходили почти после каждого студийного диска.
Арена, как и многие современные неопроговые коллективы, по части концертной деятельности, количеству продаж дисков и заполненности залов на порядок (или даже на порядки) уступает легендам прогрессива 70-х. Первые два альбома Арены были проданы количеством всего в 40 тыс. экземпляров (не каждый, а оба), в то время как к 2003-му году группа провела всего около 180 концертов (по два-три концерта в месяц). Количество зрителей - не более тысячи (в лучшем случае), тем более, что группы подобного калибра выступают, в основном, в клубах и небольших залах. Конечно, это не идет ни в какое сравнение с миллионами проданных дисков тех же Genesis, Yes и Pink Floyd, стотысячными аудиториями и напряженными гастрольным графиком, когда в один день приходилось играть по два концерта. Впрочем, не удивительно: времена другие.
Теперь, собственно, про альбом. Как и следовало ожидать, этот 75-минутный альбом содержит почти целиком сыгранные первые два альбома группы плюс композицию "The Healer" из "The Cry". Никаких новых композиций на альбоме нет. Более того, живые версии не добавляют ровным счетом ничего нового к альбомным версиям этих композиций: все сыграно нота в ноту. Правда, уже другим составом, что делает прослушивание этого опуса хоть мало-мальски интересным. Во-первых, вокал. Райтсон очень старается воспроизвести манеру пения Карсона в композициях из первого альбома, однако, чаще всего получается то вой, то блеяние. Единственный момент, с которым Райтсон, как мне кажется, справился очень неплохо, это концовка "Solomon" (там, где "Does It Matter To You?"). Во-вторых, басист. Джовитт отлично отыграл партии всех композиций, и даже умудрился добавить что-то свое. В принципе, это единственный музыкант на этом альбоме, который звучит достойно. Далее, Митчелл. Безусловно, это гораздо более техничный гитарист, нежели Мур, но, к сожалению, продюсерская работа на этом альбоме настолько отвратительна, что гитара звучит иногда как-то нЕмощно. Действительно, если слушать альбом в наушниках, то сразу же заметно, что гитара звучит во всех композициях в центре стереопанорамы, без реверберации, без эхо, вообще без каких-то стереоэффектов. Похоже, что она была подключена к моно-каналу. И это при том, что Митчелл выдает очень интересные партии. Но при этом же тупая долбежка Пойнтера, разведенная по обоим каналам, забивает звучание всех остальных инструментов. Кстати, Нолан еле слышен. Вообще, альбом отвратно смикширован. Многие концертники 70-х звучат гораздо профессиональнее и даже, как это ни парадоксально, современее. Достаточно послушать "Live Record" (1978) Camel или даже Genesis "Live" (1973), чтобы в этом убедиться.
Лично я не в восторге от этой работы, хотя, забегая вперед, скажу, что по сравнению с ужасным "Breakfast In Biarritz", это вполне приличный альбом. |
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Free from preconceived ideas
Isolated, hibernating
Sleeping through the age of man
Darkest hour before the dawn
Patiently, silently
Hanging on a single hope
Clinging to a fragile rope
Desperation, preservation
Keeping the faith
Too much at stake
Do what the gods say
Every day the idea grows
Money is no object so
Keep on building, stone on stone
Let the temple reach the clouds
Stands alone, stone on stone
Working on the grandest scale
How could worshipped idols fail?
What is mine is mine you know
Rights are not for you and so
Keep on building, stone on stone
Make it strong and make it proud
Stands alone, stone on stone
In this glory lies the key
Mine is immortality
Untold wealth hidden with care
By stealthy people
Promised riches stored in haste
By urgent people
Sworn on the good book, hard look
Hardly a whisper, a whisper away
Sworn on the new faith, keep sake
Keeping a distance, a distance away
Jewels lie thick as far as the eye
As far as the eye can barely see
Elegant crystal, the wishful
Dragged through the sands of time for me
Born from resistance, innocence
Into the darkness the blind will be thrown
Born from acceptance, vehemence
Venomous promises, innocent foes
You will all hear me, all fear me
Standing in line with your faith at your feet
Do what your will has and fight back
Come meet your maker, your saviour
One man, fate unknown
Born of stone on stone
One flame lights the fire
Dawn of stone on stone
My faith will stand up alone
Your light enriching the sacred stone
One man, fate unknown
Born of stone on stone
Out of the wilderness
(Nolan/Pointer)
Soon there will come a time
Whether a life like mine
Reaches you
Touches you
Under a cloud of fear
No longer need me here
Feeling secure
Part of the cause
Dramatic setting for
Friendship is not so pure
Innocence
Influence
Now we have come so far
Etched on my mind unsure
Common sense
Confidence
Far reaching consequence
Born from indifference
Leave me here now
Forgotten with pretence
Forward and sufferance
Leave me here now
When the time was right
And the signs were clear
I should have known
But I didn't hear the warning
The calling
When the moment came
And the lonliness
Was falling in
I couldn't find a reason
I stopped believing
Once more to the breach
There's nothing left to teach me now, now!
Stand up and be counted
No more time for doubt, stand up, stand up!
Was it empathy or apathy we shared?
There's no understanding
When honesty's not there
No hand me down excuses, insincerity too far
Are brave enough or strong enough?
When truths are told in halves
Now it's obvious
It's so obvious to me
Now it's obvious
In this wilderness you'll see
That hollow words are reckless
Allies souls can move apart
Surface wounds infectious
Through to your Achilles heart
Ooh, forgive them for they know not what they do
What is forgiveness?
Who grants forgiveness?
Who gives a damn?
I'm breaking out of this wilderness
I turn my back on all the make believe and promises
A soldier of fortune, I fell once before
But I live again, I'm part of this once more
I'm breaking out of this wilderness
I've cut my way through all the sympathy and tenderness
A soldier of fortune, I fell once before
But I live again, I'm part of this once more
Midas vision
(Nolan/Pointer)
Creeping out into the night
Keep your hands outstretched and your eyes closed tightly
Running out on your own
Don't answer the door or the telephone
This is no kind of a dream
Not a blessing but a curse
This is no illusion
You've had them before, this isn't the first
Reaching out, so cold
What did I say? Did I do
To lose my hold on you
Everything you touch
With your fingertips hurts so much
There's a fallen wish
It's shattered on the ground like a broken gift
The Midas vision
Was always beating in your heart
The foolish greed, the golden seed
Is dragging out of the reason and tearing you apart
Reaching out, so cold
What did I say? Did I do
To lose my hold on you
Reaching out with all that I could give
What should I say? Should I do
To make you
Holding out, holding out your hands
Open up, open up your eyes
Is that the knock or the ringing of the bell?
Open the door to your own private hell
Reaching out, so cold
What did I say? Did I do
To lose my hold on you
Reaching out with all that I could give
What should I say? Should I do
To make you start to live again
Reaching out, so cold
What did I say? Did I do
To lose my hold on you
Reaching out with all that I could give
What should I say? Should I do
To make you live again
The healer
(Jowitt/Nolan/Pointer)
I'll take from the rich
And then I'll take from the poor
I'm never happy, I'm never happy
Until I've taken all the more
Let Damocles come back
And drop his sword upon my head
I'll get right up again, right up again
And dance with the dead
Don't try to leave my bloodstained arena
You may get lost in this circus of fools
And I'll be there when you're thrown to the wolves
I am the healer
I lead the people here with science and hope
I am the healer
With a flash of my hands I'll throw you both ends of the rope
I'm dealing fate with a smile and a sugar pill
Don't try to turn, don't try to fight against my will
I can taste the poison
I can touch the fear inside
I can taste the corruption
I can touch the fear inside
Oh, physician! I hear you cry
Why don't you heal thyself?
But your dependence, but your addiction
Is the secret of my health
Don't try to leave this bloodstained arena
You may not wish to live by my rules
But I'll be there when you're thrown
Don't try to leave my bloodstained arena
You may get lost in this circus of fools
And I'll be there when you're thrown to the wolves
I am the healer
I lead the people here with science and hope
I am the healer
With a flash of my hands I'll throw you both ends of the rope
I'm dealing fate with a smile and a sugar pill
Don't try to turn, don't try to fight against my will
I can taste the poison
I can touch the fear inside
I can taste the corruption
I can touch the fear inside
Sirens
(Nolan/Pointer)
Silently calling
I hear myself speak
My breath is in my hands
I cry out your name
Silently calling
I feel so at peace
And the time to surrender
Is the time you will take hold of me
What did you do when you woke today?
What did you feel? Were you sad or afraid?
Searching your thoughts for reasons or meanings
And the choices you made
Silently calling
In a field of dreams
Where memories fade
They keep passing through this soulless maze
What did you do when you woke today?
What did you feel? Were you sad or afraid?
Searching your thoughts for hope or relief
Looking for safety in the falling leaves
Splinters of virtue
From splintering hearts
The door is always closed
As it was from the start
Masters of freedom
Masters of light
Will you ever let me go?
Take away this second sight
What did you do when you woke today?
What did you feel? Were you sad or afraid?
Searching your thoughts for warnings and traps
Nothing in your life will be the same
Hanging to the sail, caught behind the storm
Wait for the waves to come
Know the fear, hide behind your smile
Crying for mercy
Hanging to the mast, caught behind the storm
Wait for the sea to foam
Climb, climb
Climb up to me
Hanging to the sail, far beyond the storm
Lightning across the sky
Catch the rope, cling to hope
Watch as our lives flash by
Hanging to the mast, beyond the storm
Saltwater burning
Shield your face from whiplash sprays
Hold your breath and Neptune will make his next move
Hanging to the rail, caught within the storm
Watch for the jagged land
Follow a line from another time
Washed up on stone and sand
Grab the mast, caught within the storm
Reach for a helping hand
We could share this calm experience now
In shadows I can see the light
I whisper your name but it's lost in the night
Watching reflections of my own solitude
Heartfelt indifference towards actions and truths
In shadows I can see light
I whisper your name in the night
Spare me from those sirens lies
Spare me from this grand illusion
Spare me from those weeping eyes
And promises of absolution
Shall I stand without defense?
Now that death is all around me
Did you hope for my surrender?
Leaving me to die on the bloodstained ground
It's only a lifetime
Where heroes need heroic deeds
It's only a lifetime
Where children dream of breaking free
Follow the cause, follow the signs
Drawn by a song to our own demise
It's only a lifetime
Dragged across the rocks by the sirens whisper
Medusa
(Nolan/Pointer)
It's just a matter of course now
Like some ritual or formality that's guiding me
Violent flows the venomous dance
Chasing through the system in a frenzy of enhancement
Addicted to your belladonna kiss
I am running in the shadows
Anonymous, invisible to all the world but you
How can you be so proud of the things you do?
Medusa, hollow words and promises
Bow down in servitude before this throne
Medusa, you always know my weaknesses
Only with a heart of anger
Could you freeze the lifeblood in my veins
Only with a heart of anger
Could you bleed the strength, put out the flame
Poisoned by your belladonna kiss
I am trapped in the web
I am drowning in the bitterness
And all that I can pray is that I die in your embrace again
Medusa, hollow words and promises
Bow down in servitude before this throne
Medusa, you always know my weaknesses
I turn to stone
All I need is a bloodstained jewel
Or a poisonous flower
All I yearn for is the siren's cry
Or the torment and endurance in the final hour
Medusa, hollow words and promises
Bow down in servitude before this throne
Medusa, you always know my weaknesses
Oh, I'm paralyzed before this vision
Medusa, hollow words and promises
Bow down in servitude before this throne
Medusa, you always know my weaknesses
I turn to stone
Addicted to your belladonna kiss
I am running in the shadows
Anonymous, invisible
Welcome to the cage
(Nolan/Pointer)
No more choices born from freedom
No more kings and no more kingdom come
Live in fear of what your doubts are
You may find all your nightmares knocking down your ivory tower
Welcome, welcome, welcome to the cage
Welcome, welcome to the world we made
Forced apart by blind divisions
Inspiration, rash decision making
Ignorance and tears, innocence and early years
Beware the chaos that will tear apart that game you play
Welcome, welcome, welcome to the cage
Welcome, welcome to the world we made
Welcome, welcome, welcome to the cage
Welcome, welcome to the heart and soul that freed the slaves
When you're forced to the wall by the sheer weight of will
When you're fighting between one another
Be sure that you know who the prisoners are
And don't turn against your own brother
Behind every thought is a far greater plan
You can feel as the elements gather
Be sure on which side of the bars you are on
You will live with your choices forever
Forever
Forever
Forever
Welcome, welcome, welcome to the cage
Welcome, welcome to the world we made
Welcome, welcome, welcome to the cage
Welcome, welcome to the heart and soul that freed the slaves
Welcome, welcome, welcome to the cage
Welcome, welcome to the world that we have made
Welcome, welcome, welcome to the cage
Welcome, oh, to the shattered world we tried to save
The spirit that will never fade
Heart and soul that freed the slaves
Welcome, welcome to the cage
Jericho
(Nolan/Pointer)
Forget the lights, forget the sounds
You no longer need me 'round
Lost my patience, lost my pride
The story of my life
Innocence is no way to hide
Forget the light, forget the sound
Why do you have to drag me down?
Men of night in disguise
Slay this barren child
Sadness is your only friend
Please, forgive me
I didn't mean to
Play with your emotions
Tear apart your passions
Please, forgive me
I didn't mean to
Hurt you with false meanings
Hurt you with false feelings
Is what you see? Is what you get?
Overhearing distant sounds
Is what you wish? Is what you hope?
Given both ends of the rope
Both ends of the rope
When you turn against the system
And the rules that are taught
The true unconscious law
An action without thought
To free yourself forever
From the shackles and the chains
Of any kind of hell
You can call this need by any other name
When you stay held down
For most of your life
It's not hard to find a cause
It's the catalyst behind the knife
The knife
Gonna turn the tide against you
Gonna make this private revolution
Gonna smash the gates and march right through
Gonna tear apart this institution
I'm coming down to find you
Gonna make this private revolution
Better keep this faith behind you
Gonna lead the way to new solutions
Jericho
I'll bring those walls right down on you
Jericho
I'll bring those walls right down on you
Gonna turn the tide against you
Gonna make this private revolution
Gonna smash the gates and march right through
Gonna make this private revolution
Jericho
I'll bring those walls right down on you
Jericho
I'll bring those walls right down on you
Solomon
(Nolan/Pointer)
In the distance
Hidden from sight patiently
Waiting for me
Part of the night, enemy mine
This horizon
Darkness and light opposites
Drawn together, one forever
Wrong and the right, enemy mine
Now is the time to decide
Don't answer me with the same old questions
Don't patronise with those tired old solutions
I've heard these before
And I've been here before
Don't pay me back with the same old deceptions
Don't give me facts and predictable suggestions
I've heard these before
And I've been here before
Then you're screaming all the time
You don't listen anymore
When you threw out the hope with the dustbin liners
You were standing alone with your coat of kindness
Covered in mud
It was soaked in my blood
When you fed me to the lions in your personal arena
And you watched 'till the cries and the prayers grew weaker
Head in my hands
Dripping tears in the sand
And the roar of the lions
As the victim lies damned and alone
When agony comes more from hope than failure
Look further than your preconceptions, expectations
Where the power of the mind can take you out beyond this reach
Higher than the dull and simple world you know so well
Back to paradise
Who keeps the child? Tell me which is the mother?
The need in her eye and the eyes of the other
I've seen this before
And I've been here before
Cut the child in half, give a piece to each woman
A desperate chance, the last hope has fallen
Just like before
I've felt this before
And the gurgles of laughter
Are echoes once more in my heart
So I lie down in my mothers arms
And I cry in my mothers arms, praying
Praying for the end to come
A friend to come and rescue me right now
So I listen to my mother's voice
And I listen to the only choice she had to make
Living fear, cold and naked
Throw me away, don't throw me away
Take the child, it's yours
Was the only thing she could have said
Does it matter to you?
In the lion's cage we're all the same
Does it matter to you?
It's a child's game with a child's name
Does it matter to you?
If I place the blame upon your shoulders
Don't try to fool the world
Don't try to rule the world again
Throw away my life in the fireplace
With the old love letters and the Nottingham laces
Trying to forget the warm embraces
Video suppers and the funny faces
Does it matter to you?
Does it matter to you?
Does it matter to you?
Does it matter at all?