Athlete - Live Session EP
Athlete: Live Session EP (iTunes Exclusive): A-
We downloaded this one almost three weeks ago, and it was a nice reminder of how great a band that Athlete is. As good as Tourist is, this stripped down live acoustic one is really a fantastic listen -- five great songs, including probably the three best tracks from the album (Half Light - Tourist - Wires), plus the classic 'Beautiful" from the debut album
All those elements that make Athlete great ... emotional honesty; simple, beautiful, and pleasing arrangements; and great songwriting sensibility are evident here in a simple piano and guitar format. Can't really tell if it is live -- sounds like a MBE-type session ... bottom line, sounds really great, very clean.
It has put the Tourist cd back into rotation for us ... this one is really easy to recommend to people who, of course, love Athlete, but equally worth checking if you like Coldplay, James Blunt, or even U2