''Birds of Pray'' is the seventh studio album by Live (band), Live, released in 2003. The first single, "Heaven" became the band's most successful single in several years, reaching number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100. ''Birds of Pray'' was Live's final release on Radioactive Records, Radioactive/MCA Records, MCA. They signed with Epic Records, Epic in 2005.Chad
"Live Makes Epic Move"
Alternative Addiction, August 29, 2005.

Background

Ed Kowalczyk's lyrics on this album return to the spiritual territory of ''The Distance to Here''. Guitarist Chad Taylor (guitarist), Chad Taylor explained that the tensions between Kowalczyk and the other three members that eventually caused the band to split from him surfaced in 1999, and had grown worse during the album's recording sessions. "I wasn't sure how our rocker fanbase would feel about the lyrics." He expressed his frustration with the album by adding, "Jim Wirt (producer) worked really hard to fashion a contemporary album, but it never felt like the Live I loved.""Chad Taylor posts a comprehensive Live recording history blog"
allthingschadtaylorm July 19, 2010.

Reception

''Birds of Pray'' debuted at number 28 on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200, selling over 37,000 copies in its first week of release.D'Angelo, Jo
"Staind Marked For #1 on Billboard Albums Chart"
MTV News, May 28, 2003. By August 2005 it had sold 273,000 copies in the US. The album failed to reach Music recording sales certification, gold status in the US, although it outsold 2001's ''V (Live album), V''. The album received mixed reviews from critics and has a rating of 50 out of 100 on Metacritic. AllMusic disliked Kowalczyk's lyrics, claiming they were "Either too literal or bewilderingly obtuse" and said that the album was, "Still recognizably Live...big, big guitars, sweeping anthemic choruses, earnest ballads, mildly histrionic vocals...but it's a little more subdued and a little more serious and quite streamlined...The biggest problem with the record is that the eye is on the big picture...to the extent that the individual moments aren't all that memorable, clearly lacking singles as forceful as those that fueled ''Throwing Copper''." AllMusic concluded by claiming that, "Live is growing up and settling down, turning into a solid thirty-something rock band."

Track listing

All songs written by Ed Kowalczyk except where noted. #"Heaven (Live song), Heaven" – 3:49 #"She" – 2:40 #"The Sanctity of Dreams" – 3:33 #"Run Away (Live song), Run Away" – 3:53 #"Life Marches On" – 2:53 #"Like I Do" (Kowalczyk, Patrick Dahlheimer, Chad Taylor) – 4:14 #"Sweet Release" – 3:02 #"Everytime I See Your Face" – 3:16 #"Lighthouse" (Kowalczyk, Taylor) – 3:08 #"River Town" – 4:09 #"Out to Dry" – 3:20 #"Bring the People Together" – 3:02 #"What Are We Fighting For?" – 3:21 ;British bonus tracks #

"Forever May Not Be Long Enough" (Egyptian Dreams Remix) – 4:07 #"Overcome (Live song), Overcome" (Live from Philadelphia) – 4:23 ;Special edition bonus DVD :Live tracks recorded during the 2002 Pinkpop Festival in the Netherlands. #"Selling the Drama" #"Voodoo Lady" #"Nobody Knows" #"White Discussion"

Personnel

;Live *Ed Kowalczyk – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, backing vocals *Chad Taylor – lead guitar, backing vocals *Patrick Dahlheimer – bass *Chad Gracey – drums ;Additional musicians *Paul Buckmaster – Conducting, conductor, String instrument, string arrangements *Larry Corbett – cello *Joel Derouin – violin *Bruce Dukov – violin *Suzie Katayama – orchestra manager *Patrick Warren – chamberlin *Evan Wilson – viola ;Technical personnel *Michael Attardi – assistant Audio engineer, engineering *Neil Couser – assistant engineering *CJ Eiriksson – digital editing *Femio Hernández – assistant engineering *John Ikuma – assistant engineer *Ted Jensen – Audio mastering, mastering *Phil Kaffel – engineering *Okhee Kim – assistant engineering *Tom Lord-Alge – Audio mixing (recorded music), mixing *Jeff Robinette – assistant engineering *P.J. Smith – assistant engineering *Michael Wilson – photography *Jim Wirt – Record producer, production, engineering *Jesse Wright – design

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Singles

*A: "Heaven" did not chart on the Flemish Ultratop 50, but peaked at number 6 on the Ultratop#Ultratip, Ultratip chart.

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 2003 albums Live (band) albums Radioactive Records albums