Energy and Heart
Posted September 15, 2017
By AmandaDeWilde_NRT, Staff Reviewer
I've always felt that live albums are made for the real fans. For the casual listener, the cheering crowds, interaction from the artist, and name-dropping the city where the show was recorded may distract from the listening experience, and they may just opt for the original version of the song if given the choice. But for the true fans, the screams from the crowd transport you back into one of your favorite shows. The memories come rushing back, and you get a taste of that adrenaline that flooded your veins as you danced and screamed and sang along with one of your favorite bands. If you've ever seen one of Thousand Foot Krutch's live shows, you know that they're as high octane as they come. Whether you've experienced the show or not, Untraveled Roads is a perfect representation of the energy and heart that Thousand Foot Krutch pours into their performances.
Recorded during the Winter Jam tour in early 2017, Untraveled Roads is the band's second live album and features songs from their three latest albums. The show begins with unrelenting cheers, we hear the crowd excitedly count down, then Trevor greets the crowd and immediately launches into "Running With Giants" from the band's 2016 release Exhale. Next they transition to "Light Up The Sky" from The End Is Where We Begin, and then back to Exhale with "The River."
The set contains a good mixture of songs, focusing primarily on picks from those two recent albums which were predominantly more rock-based rather than the somewhat softer Oxygen: Inhale. The live album does feature the fast-paced rockers "Born This Way" and "Untraveled Road" from Oxygen: Inhale, the latter of which inspired the title of the live project.
The album doesn't contain any speeches or stories from the stage, as is the case with many live albums, although Trevor does give a short, encouraging message at the end of "Courtesy Call," preceding "Be Somebody." Trevor encourages the crowd to reject the notion that we are only successful if our culture says we are, and that our true value comes from God: "It doesn't matter what our past was, it doesn't matter what our present looks like. He's got a unique, incredible plan for your life and for my life."
Not every artist is able to maintain their signature sound or vocal range during a live show, and as a result there can be a slight disconnect between the music we're used to and the live version. Trevor McNevan, on the other hand, thrives on live music and, if anything, it gives him an even greater opportunity to demonstrate his astonishing vocal range.
The Bottom Line: The songs sound fresh and well-mixed, the crowd sounds engaged--the only thing missing is your own personal mosh pit. After rocking out to the live album, this fan is eager to watch the DVD version of Untraveled Roads.
Song to Download Now:
"Born This Way" (Get it on iTunes here.)
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