Dead Can Dance

Perhaps because they're so busy being "artists," Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry--the Celtic-influenced duo that comprise Dead Can Dance--tend to play stuff that only the dead would dance to in this lethargic New Age-y live concert filmed in Santa Monica by Mark Magidson (Baraka). Having heard the current hit "American Dreaming" several times, I was looking forward to hearing more, only--as sometimes happens--the hit tune is totally unrepresentative of the band (remember the Stone Temple Pilot's "Plush"?). The rest of their debut album Core sucked eggs. There's some nifty percussion here, some angelic singing from Gerrard, and even a few powerful musical pieces. But the majority of songs here play more like exercises in arrangement than music from the heart. An optional purchase at best. (R. Pitman)