Since Kill the Buddha! is a live album commemorating Attrition’s 25th anniversary tour, I feel the need to state my bias upfront: I don’t generally like live albums.  At best, they manage to capture exactly what makes a band’s live show unique (think Rasputina’s A Radical Recital) or at least pack-in enough non-album tracks to make it worthwhile to diehard fans (as is the case with The Dresden Dolls‘ A is For Accident); unfortunately, most concert records fall far short of both ideals, and offer only muddy, energy-deficient performances that lack the immediacy of having been there in person.

And yet, I have to admit that Kill the Buddha! is an excellent example of what the enigmatic Attrition live experience is like.  I’ve seen Attrition twice (in two different countries, no less) and this album gives a fine indication of what yoan expect out of an Attrition gig: cold electronics, throaty male whispers, and soaring soprano vocals.  As a bonus, the recording is crystal clear; if not for the occasional applause of the appreciative crowd, this could pass for a recording conjured-up in the studio.  Also, I would be completely remiss if I didn’t note that the version of “I Am Eternity” featured on this album is absolutely brilliant.  Light a fistful of incense and it’s just like being there…

There are no comments yet. You could be the first!