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O.A.R.
34th & 8th
(Everfine)
First Appeared in The Music Box, December 2004, Volume 11, #12
Written by T.J. Simon
O.A.R. ("Of a Revolution") is a Washington, DC-based jam band with both an
easygoing, island-infused vibe and a rabid following built from playing the
college circuit for several years. Each Thanksgiving weekend, the group performs
at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom, and the 2003 shows are the substance of
the band’s generous double-CD 34th & 8th. The
package also includes a DVD featuring concert footage as well as a limited
series of interviews with the ensemble’s members.
Although the concert was in support of O.A.R.’s major label debut In
Between Now and Then, only 4 of the 18 tracks originate from the album. Of
these cuts, Right On Time best displays the cause of such intense fan
devotion. The rest of the material draws together a variety of fan favorites
from the band’s indie days, most notably a recording of City on Down that
seamlessly evolves into Delicate Few, both of which were plucked from the
group’s breakthrough outing Risen.
Throughout the collection, singer Marc Roberge is in fine voice, and the
saxophone accents provided by Jerry DePizzo add heft and texture to the O.A.R.’s
suburban, reggae grooves. Because this is a live album from a jam band, however,
the songs are greatly extended in length. Nearly every other track exceeds the
six-minute mark, and the traditional show closer That Was a Crazy Game of
Poker clocks in at nearly 18 minutes. Most groups couldn’t make this work,
but O.A.R.’s improvisational fury seems purposeful and never meanders into
unreasonable territory.
Bear in mind that it was only two years ago that O.A.R. released Any Time
Now — another live, double disc — and five of the songs from that collection
also appear on 34th and 8th with substantially
little difference in their basic structures. Therefore, what sets 34th
and 8th apart is the inclusion of the concert DVD. In fact, the
band spared no expense in capturing seven of the tunes from its shows at the
Hammerstein Ballroom, utilizing an expensive-looking, well-edited, beautifully
lit, five-camera shoot. O.A.R.’s collective charisma shines through on video,
and the portraits of the crowd convey an enthusiastically good time. During the
performance of About Mr. Brown, Roberge emanates a Dave Matthews-ish
vibe, which isn’t all that surprising considering that the groups share many of
the same fans.
As with any live album, 34th & 8th is probably
not the best introduction to O.A.R. for the uninitiated. However, followers of
the band will be immensely pleased with both the volume and quality of the
content on this latest release. 
34th & 8th is available from
Amazon.com. To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
Click Here!
For UK orders, please
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Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2004
The Music Box
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