DANIEL LANOIS : COOL WATER

 

  1. The Messenger
  2. For the Beauty of Wynona
  3. Still Water
  4. The Maker 
  5. Unbreakable Chain
  6. O Marie
  7. Rocky World
  8. Brother L.A.
  9. Irish Melody (Sonho Dourado)
    Bonus Tracks :
  10. The Messenger
  11. The Maker
  12. Rocky World

Label : no label

Time : 46:47

Released : March 24, 1994

Venue : Toronto, Canada

Date : April 1993

Quality : Soundboard Recording(A+)

Review : Recorded in Canada 1993, although there is some doubt about the date, this bootleg (I can't find a label) is a fine soundboard recording. Excellent sound and a nice no-risk performance of Daniel Lanois & Band. Bonus tracks are studio outtakes.

Review (Amazon) : In "Cool Water," a recording of two 1993 live performances of his own songs, Lanois is stripped of his usual array of producer's gadgets, the digital effects and synthesizers, the polished mixing that he's mastered over the years. He performs in pared-down arrangements with just two or three guitars and voices. And he seems to go out of his way to deliver an unpolished final product: amps buzz here, lyrics are flubbed there. Yet the result is on par with his studio recordings in terms of aesthetics, beauty and emotional power. The first of two different renditions of the song "The Maker" on this album, featuring Lanois and one other musician playing guitars and harmonizing their vocals, is especially impressive. The instrumental "Sonho Dourado" soars, raw and minimalist though it is compared to the studio recording. Listening to "Cool Water" makes me admire Lanois' qualities as a performer every bit as much as I've admired his production chops; it also makes me respect his songwriting skills, since not every song can survive the shift from highly produced studio recording to bare-bones live perfomance as well as these do. And oh by the way, if you don't want to pay through the nose for this rare CD you can always check out the artist's website for more economical means of procurement.

Review (AllMusic) : For someone that has produced some of the biggest and most charismatic artists in the world, the musical output of Daniel Lanois is decidedly less immediate. Both on his studio releases and on Cool Water, a live album from Canadian performances in 1993. There's little to differentiate this album from the studio albums from which most of the material was culled. His rough-hewn, grunge-like guitar playing is compelling and melodic. It compares quite favorably to Neil Young, particularly on the glorious, feedback-laced instrumental "Irish Melody." There's also a lovely reading of "The Maker" paired with "River Rise" from his first album Acadie. Cool Water is enjoyable but probably unnecessary for all but the most ardent fans. Listeners interested in Lanois' work would be advised to seek out the studio releases.