4 out of 5

Label: digital download

Recorded by: Joshua Rogers

A gifted download along with the purchase of OP’s ‘Kumiko’ soundtrack, the live recording captures a show around the time of the release of ‘Hello, Avalanche,’ meaning the fifteen or so tracks – stage banter is appreciably split into separate tracks – cover songs from that album and those before.  There are some things that are apparent from the recording: that The Octopus Project seems like a set of nice, intelligent folk, or at least the frontman’s chatter represents the band well; that they attract an attentive audience; and that their unique electronic / instrumental mash-up absolutely translates live.  In fact, live might be a preferred mode for appreciating them, as the meticulousness of their recordings shaves off the rawness that’s apparent in this recording, the drumwork much more immediate and present and the guitars and keys with that nudge of nuance that makes it clear that it’s performed by real people.  The albums are great fun, of course, but they’re cleaned up versions of what Joshua Rogers has ably captured here, albeit the low-end isn’t as discernible as the treble, but OP hits that more dominantly anyhow, so it works.  The other favorable aspect of this mix is that it very much downplays the audience.  You can hear their support after tracks, but quiet moments in the songs are focused on the songs.  The set itself is similar enough to any given album: some slower jams, some faster ones; nothing that really makes you wet your pants in amazement, but everything making you tap your toe and appreciate the band’s skill.  Over all, as the recording is clear and the ‘mix’ different enough from the released versions, ‘Live’ functions like a best-of composed of quality alternative takes.