Sometimes the best version of a musician’s work is on an
immaculately produced and engineered CD, one that has seen the loving care of
electronic tools to craft a sound that is better than real life could ever be.
Sometimes you go to see this musician live and realize that perhaps they’re
better performing in a studio.
And sometimes, the reverse is true.
Eric Church is a live act. The way he delivers a song on the
stage is a dynamic, powerful experience, and is one of the reasons his star has
risen so far and so high in such a relatively short period of time. The Inky Jukebox has been a fan of
Church since his early days, when we trolled YouTube for shaky footage of him
performing on tailgates. It doesn’t matter if it’s just him and a guitar in a
parking lot or accompanied by a full band and light show on a stage, he gives
100% every time.
This summer he’s playing stadiums on the Kenny Chesney tour
— which will be interesting to see, because playing a stadium is a wholly
different task than playing an amphitheater or arena. We’d say it will
introduce him to a whole new fan base, but come on : who are we kidding? If
you’re going to a Chesney show, you’re already familiar with Church.
At this weekend’s Academy of Country Music Awards, Church
delivered the kind of performance that folks who have been to his live shows
have seen, but those watching on TV haven’t: a stripped down acoustic set. This
time, he also did it without his signature ball cap and aviator shades. It's a tonic for those who only associate him with loud, fast-paced floor-thumpers. Dude can sing and play.
We like the beard. It echoes the stark video he released for “Like Jesus Does.”
Church has said that people will view his career as pre- and
post-Chief. The Inky Jukebox isn’t so sure. Every one of his prior albums is a
complete statement, and is just as well-crafted.
Perhaps he feels this way because he has just released his
first live album, which is heavily loaded with songs from Chief (understandably, since it was recorded during a show on his
most recent tour). It’s not a greatest hits album, as some have said: it’s
merely a live album. But it is the next best thing to hearing Church play live,
and will give anyone who has never seen him an idea of the energy he exudes on
stage.
If you like your country rocking — you’ll love this record.
The iTunes version has 17 tracks to the physical CD’s 11, so it’s absolutely
worth the download.
