The best reasons for a band to release a live album are to provide a sense of what they can offer outside of the studio and to showcase a more organic interactivity between artist and audience. In the case of Seabound’s Come Forward, the band’s pre-programmed music allows little in the way of a “live” performance without the visual experience (not present on the subsequent CD), and the limited creativity taken with lyrics doesn’t go too far beyond their studio recordings. The conceptual issues with Come Forward are that it sounds more or less like the band’s meticulously programmed studio albums, and the most notable vocal elements are fumbled lyrics, which occur twice—both times highlighted by Frank Spinath’s mention of the mistakes during songs.
There is redemption on the flipside. Excellent production standards have kept the tracks sharp and clean despite the live context, one of the obvious benefits of electronic music. Above that, Seabound happen to be a progressive and quite excellent band with a discography practically devoid of a song that isn’t attractive; the effect is essentially a “best of” that just happens to have the presence of live vocals. Spinath’s voice may sometimes appear strained or out of breath on heartier songs, but that’s a very human reminder that you’re listening to a live set and not just a playlist of your favorites.
Ultimately I wouldn’t recommend Come Forward to the uninitiated; Beyond Flatline is better suited for introductions. But I would recommend it to the ardent fans, especially ones that haven’t had the opportunity to see Seabound in person.
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