Live on the Inside is the ultimate
Sugarland fan souvenir. This is a double-disc package -- one CD, one DVD -- exclusively available from Wal-Mart. The DVD is a documentary presentation of the duo's ABC Network prime-time special of the same name. The DVD is impressive; it contains all 16 songs from the show, filmed impeccably by
Shaun Silva and his 20-camera crew at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY. The set is packed with hits, including "Baby Girl," "Want To," "Already Gone," "Settlin'," "All I Want to Do," and "Stay." The massive number of cameras allows fans an intimate view of the proceedings, and makes the set seem far more "real" than it did on television. The CD in the set is far more eclectic in that includes some originals and some covers from some unexpected sources. While "Love,"
R.E.M.'s "Nightswimming/Joey" and "The One I Love," "All I Want to Do," and "Stay" are audio-only reprises from the DVD, there are other cuts here, covers mostly, that were recorded in many other places. The choice is interesting, compelling, and might even prove puzzling for some fans. There's an intimate reading of "Circle," by
Edie Brickell, a radical reworking of "Better Man," by
Pearl Jam's
Eddie Vedder, a superior version of the
Kings of Leon's "Sex on Fire," a backwoods take on
Beyoncé's "Irreplaceable" (no, not kidding), and finally, the
the B-52's "Love Shack" which begins as a blues and ends as a tough rocker.
Sugarland fans are more than likely to flip over this; it's nearly the perfect document in that it contains not only the historic gig in all its technologically savvy glory, but also enough curios to interest even a casual fan. ~ Thom Jurek