Blackfield – Live In New York City (CD/DVD)
KScope
http://www.kscopemusic.com/

Rating:  B

Whether he’s working with his main outlet Porcupine Tree or a multitude of different side projects, including his own solo career, it seems that almost everything Steven Wilson touches turns to gold. In 2000 one of those projects came out of a cross cultural collaboration with Israeli vocalist Aviv Geffen, so the group Blackfield was formed. Two critically acclaimed studio albums later the duo have just released their first live album which was recorded at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City back in the spring of 2007.

Armed with an impressive backing band Wilson and Geffen offer up a nice cross section of material from both records as well as tossing in a cover of Alanis Morissette’s “Thank You”. The music is basically a blend of pop rock with progressive elements, and this concert highlights the duo’s, rich soaring vocals on tracks like “Hello”, “Blackfield” and “Miss You”, amid the lushly layered keyboard passages. The band is super tight and the overall sound is a little edgier than the studio versions. The camera work on the DVD doesn’t come across as intrusive, nor does it feature a lot of quick edits or cuts, so it allows the viewer to just sit back and concentrate on the performance, which is really what you want when watching a live concert. Not to mention the DVD is also presented in full 5.1 surround for the maximum listening experience. Throw in the promo videos for “Hello”, “Pain” and “Blackfield” and you really can’t go wrong with this live CD/ DVD. It’s an excellent package and a great bang for your buck. What more can you say, except that Steven Wilson has done it again.  

   -Ryan Sparks