Beloved (US) - Kiss It Goodbye

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Forest: Sold Out
Jul 5, 2003
5,154
13
38
40
Indiana
Beloved (US) – Kiss It Goodbye
Solid State Records – November 8th, 2005
By Jason Jordan

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One would think that as good as Beloved (US)’s material is, a DVD would be an excellent addition to the now-defunct band’s catalog. But, sadly, that isn’t really the case, and this inadvertently cements the notion that Failure On is the only must-own item crafted by these North Carolinians.

Recorded during the quintet’s farewell show on January 14th, 2005 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Kiss It Goodbye showcases a group of guys whose songs don’t translate to the live setting all that well. As much as I like Failure On – there are about five songs that move me considerably – the live renditions, though faithful to the individual recordings, are kinda boring. Unfortunately, Beloved (US) don’t have much of a stage presence, even when lifted by good-yet-flawed cinematography. The seventy-seven minute set elapses rather slowly, and a few of the camera angles just plain flopped. For instance, I loathed how every time the focus shifted to the camera nearest the drums, the shot would be black and white. It may be a menial gripe, but the aforementioned shot isn’t used sparingly throughout the film. The sound isn’t anything to write home about, though it is noticeably clear, plus the bonus content (music videos, behind the scenes, et cetera) is a nice addition to Kiss It Goodbye. Still, the add-ons felt more substantial to me than the bulk content.

Beloved (US) fans may want to shell out a ten-spot for this, and as one of the former, I warmed up to the price quickly. Although, I left Kiss It Goodbye disappointed, because I was bored through much of the DVD. At any rate, we won’t ever be able to catch these veterans in concert again – barring a reunion of course – and that in and of itself may warrant a purchase. Bottom line: I wasn’t captivated and I doubt you will be either.

6/10

Official Beloved (US) Website
Official Solid State Records Website
 
These guys had so much more of an impact than anyone (including you) give them credit for. They influenced so many huge solid state bands including Underoath. Go check the liner notes on Define The Great Line, you'll see a nice little "R.I.P Beloved" entry. The Running was such an influential album, It pains me to see such a deserving band not get what they're deserving of.