Live from Mars

by Ben Harper

Overview

Ben Harper is a road dog. He and his band, the Innocent Criminals, travel around the world playing nearly 200 shows a year; therefore, it was only a matter of time before this guitar virtuoso made a live album. Live From Mars, an enigmatic two-disc set of 25 songs, celebrates the rise of Harper, his incredible live presence between 1998 and 2000, and the appreciation between him and his audience. His fragile acoustics have been thrown into a massive guitar storm on disc one, a thunderous combination of his signature folky blues-funk rock & roll. He's soulful and approachable on "Excuse Me Mr." and "Burn One Down," but he reaches for something tangible on Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing." The vibe is calm and cool while Harper's vocals scale between a sweet falsetto and a rugged twang. "Faded" exudes Harper's electric twitching, and its perfection swaggers into a riveting cover of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" for a near ten-minute car crash of pure rollicking. He switches from his electric to an acoustic for disc two, making his informality even more enticing. "Waiting on an Angel" is delicate, similar to the likes of Jeff Buckley, but it's the beauty of the Verve's "The Drugs Don't Work" that truly captures the standard of excellence that Harper depicts as a performer. Acoustically, he's honored and such praise is deserved. He's practically flawless. He's a modest artist, and such humility is found among his songs. He's achieved respectability with his fans that only so many artists are able to attain. Live From Mars is a proper release and certainly an inviting look into Harper and the showmanship he projects while spending time on the road. ~ MacKenzie Wilson

Product Details

Release Date:	04/24/2001
Label:	Virgin
UPC:	0724381007914
Rank:	22203

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Glory and Consequence
2. Excuse Me Mr.
3. Alone
4. Sexual Healing
5. The Woman in You
6. Ground on Down
7. Steal My Kisses
8. Burn One Down
9. Mama's Got a Girlfriend
10. Welcome to the Cruel World
11. Forgiven
12. Medley

Disc 2

13. Waiting on an Angel
14. Roses From My Friends
15. Power of the Gospel
16. Pleasure and Pain
17. Please Bleed
18. The Drugs Don't Work
19. In the Lord's Arms
20. Not Fire, Not Ice
21. Beloved One
22. #3
23. Walk Away
24. Another Lonely Day
25. Medley

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Ben Harper   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals   Primary Artist
Rahzel   Guest Artist,Human Beatbox
Juan Nelson   Bass,Vocals
Dean Butterworth   Drums,Vocals
David Leach   Percussion
Nick Rich   Human Beatbox

Technical Credits

Michael Pollock   Engineer
John Paul Jones   Composer
Richard Ashcroft   Composer
Marvin Gaye   Composer
Danny Clinch   Photography
Odell Brown   Composer
Maya Angelou   Composer
Dave Holdredge   Digital Editing
Jean Pierre Plunier   Design,Composer,Producer,Art Direction
Ben Harper   Composer,Producer
David Ritz   Composer
Robert Plant   Composer
Tom Tyler   Bass Technician,Guitar Technician
Mike King   Design,Art Direction
Rick "Soldier" Will   Mixing
Ben Elder   Research
Dave Rat   Sound System
John Bonham   Composer
Ben Mumphrey   Mixing
Nick Rich   Stage Technician
Stephen Marcussen   Mastering
Jimmy Page   Composer