Unglued Reviews

In 2005, under the moniker City And Colour, Dallas Green (guitarist/co-vocalist for post-hardcore unit Alexisonfire) released his debut solo album Sometimes, showcasing his softer side. The album had two really good cuts – Save Your Scissors and Comin’ Home – and eight others best described as Dashboard Confessional-lite.

The release Live captures a complete City And Colour set from March 2006. In acknowledgement of Green’s strongest material, the CD also includes bonus alternate versions of the two above-mentioned tracks recorded in June that year.
Given that there’s not a lot of difference between City And Colour in the studio and performing live (both are basically just Dallas Green’s voice and his guitar, although his cousin Nick Osczypko does join him on keys on a few songs, and snare drum on Save Your Scissors) and that Green only has one album of material to draw on, I guess the biggest selling point for this release is the inclusion of three previously unreleased songs: short set opener Forgive Me, tortured Confessions (the strongest new cut) and Sensible Heart – plus a piano-based cover of Alexisonfire’s Happiness By The Kilowatt.

There’s also an accompanying DVD of video footage of the same gig notable primarily for the between song banter (and guitar tuning) excised from the audio CD, and for the ability to see Dallas’ expressive eyebrows. The DVD bonus features are a few tracks filmed at Malkin Bowl on an unspecified date that are more creatively shot but have quieter vocals, bootleg-quality footage of Dallas joining Ron Sexsmith and his band at Halifax Club for Sexsmith’s song Wastin’ Time, and a weird segment involving Green wandering through a shopping centre while playing guitar solos through a portable amp.

Owen Heitmann