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At Metro Reviews
Capturing the reunited Smoking Popes’ live at Chicago’s Metro, this noteworthy CD/DVD set illustrates the group’s pop punk group’s smooth, upbeat sounds in their full glory, with tracks drawn from throughout the group’s career nicely divided between the video and audio portions of this package.
After a seven-year break in the action, vocalist/guitarist Josh Caterer, guitarist Eli Caterer, bassist Matt Caterer and drummer Rob Kellenberger show that they still have what it takes to rock a crowd. With the rollicking “Rubella”, the soulful, existential then pounding “Off My Mind” and the highly tuneful, jamming “Before I’m Gone” each being a testament to the group’s ability to relay emotions with a deft combination of melody and strength, the group rolls through a tight, well played set with nary a mishap.
Admirably, the band refrains from overplaying in a live situation, seeming quite relaxed and at home after so many years away from the stage. During “Before I’m Gone”, Smoking Popes proves that they can actually dig into a real jam, a trait few groups of their ilk can muster. While some of the group’s less bombastic material relies upon sheer emotion for sonic strength, tracks like “Need You Around”, which was the groups first major single are driven by the band’s signature power chord assault, which remains aggressive sounding even in consideration of Josh’s non-threatening, Roy Orbison-like vocalizations.
While the live record could easily stand alone as a release in its own right, the fact that a well-shot DVD is included makes this a must-have for any Smoking Popes fan. With four extra tracks including a heartbreakingly excellent version of “Just Broke Up”, the fan gets the full experience of the event and at times it feels like you’re right there in the middle of the action, or at least as close as you can get in your own living room (putting a fence in front of the TV helps).
It’s plain to see that these guys are happy to be playing songs together in front of crowds again. Surely the fans will be overjoyed to once again enjoy these songs and more than anything, they’ll be happy Smoking Popes is finally back.
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