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The Clarks Live

Artist: The Clarks
Genre: Alternative
Year: 1999
Rating: 8 / 10

I am a native of Pittsburgh and damn proud of it. That being said, it took me an incredibly long time to truly appreciate The Clarks, quite possibly Pittsburgh's most talented musical export. Though The Clarks have never actually achieved national fame like DC-export Vertical Horizon, they have been toiling in obscurity for just as long. The group has been in existence for a decade or more, and their 1999 release The Clarks Live is a perfect introduction for the new fan. It features fourteen standout tracks, including all of the band's "major" local hits. Yet the best news is that this album, as the name implies, is a live performance, recorded in Pittsburgh, full of all of the band's energy and fire.

Years and years ago, The Clarks reached a certain level of local notoriety with the release of two rather different singles - "Cigarette" and "Penny on the Floor." The first is the trademark Clarks rocker, sounding as much like Pittsburgh as any song I can recall. The latter, however, is my personal favorite - a powerful (not power) ballad that had been stuck in my mind despite not having heard it for over five years. Both songs appear prominently on Live, and they are as impressive recorded as they were when I saw them performed live this past March. Let it be known that this is in no way a negative statement about the band's performance history, but rather, a compliment paid to the excellent CD recording.

The true delight for me was in coming to appreciate some Clarks songs to which I had not previously been exposed. "Come on kiss me once again / Be my lover, be my very best friend." This closing line from "Brand New," the album's second track, pairs perfectly with its opening number, the rollicking "Mercury." Anyone not hooked on the album after these initial two numbers seriously needs to ask himself if he really likes rock music. "Courtney" and "Caroline" are also standout tracks, as is "Last Call," though I may have chosen a jumpier song to close out the setlist. Regardless, Live is an album for anyone seeking a slice of Midwestern rock, or for any displaced Pittsburgh native looking for a taste of home.

Submitted 4/27/00.