Sarah McLachlan: Afterglow Live

As we've mentioned before, the music industry--alarmed over the prospect of lost revenue from illegal downloading (through various online file-sharing programs)--is steadily increasing the number of CD/DVD hybrid releases, some offering more significant visual content than others. Sarah McLachlan: Afterglow Live--although sold as a music CD--is, in fact, an excellent example of the promise of hybrids, combining a 23-song, nearly two-hour 2004 live concert DVD filmed at Toronto's Molson Amphitheatre, together with a 15-cut live CD. Her first concert DVD since Mirrorball (1999), Afterglow Live finds the Canadian singer-songwriter--Gen X's own Divine Miss "M"--in very fine form, performing all but one of the 10 tunes off 2003's Afterglow (her first studio album after a long post-Lilith Fair hiatus, during which McLachlan and husband/drummer Ashwin Sood had a daughter), including the hits "Fallen," "World on Fire," and "Train Wreck." In addition, McLachlan--alternating between guitar and piano, and backed by her band--serves up beautiful renditions of earlier hits and favorites such as "Adia," "I Will Remember You," "Building a Mystery," "Angel," "Hold On," "Sweet Surrender," and a haunting piano solo version of "Possession," as well as a lovely cover of the Beatles "Blackbird" (the last two, along with "Ice," "Fear," and "Ice Cream," are among the tracks not included on the CD). Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo, DVD extras include music videos for "Fallen," "World on Fire," and "Stupid," a 12-minute behind-the-scenes interview/rehearsal featurette, a photo gallery, and lyrics for all of the songs performed. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)