Birds of Pray
Birds of Pray is the seventh studio album by 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. "Birds of Pray" was Live's final release on Radioactive/MCA. They signed with Epic in 2005. Background. Ed Kowalczyk's lyrics on this album return to the spiritual territory of "The Distance to Here". 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." Reception. "Birds of Pray" debuted at number 28 on the "Billboard" 200, selling over 37,000 copies in its first week of release. By August 2005 it had sold 273,000 copies in the US. The album failed to reach gold status in the US, although it outsold 2001's "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." Shaking Through described the album's lyrics as, "Self righteous" and "Unintentionally humorous." It claimed that, "the songs are a procession of brittle riffs" and concluded by saying, ""Birds of Pray" just seems clueless, like a high school kid who doesn't realize that his strident need to seem interesting just makes him a joke." Track listing. All songs written by Ed Kowalczyk except where noted.