THE DAVIDS PROVE THERE’S STILL SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT A PHYSICAL RELEASE
We picked up The Davids Live CD at their recent show with Yewtree Promotions - our first trip to Newry for a gig - and it hasn’t left our CD player since.
Rather than simply throwing four live tracks onto a disc, The Davids have made the release feel a little more personal. Limited to just 50 copies, each CD features a unique spoken introduction from a different band member. Ours, number 15, is introduced by Joel before taking listeners through four songs that span different points in the bands journey.
From some of the first songs they ever wrote together to an alternate version of their latest single, Knees - the CD feels less like a collection of songs and more like a snapshot of the band’s evolution.
Artwork and photo by @alyssaduffphotography
What immediately stands out is how naturally The Davids translate to a live recording. There’s an energy here that never feels forced, and that’s exactly what gives the release its charm, capturing the natural chemistry between the four members.
Our standout track has to be Where Did It All Go Wrong. As the first ever song by The Davids, it’s fitting that it finds its place as the first track on this release, offering a fascinating glimpse into where everything began.
The band told us in our April Artist of the Month feature that it's still one they really enjoy playing live, and we've been lucky enough to catch it at some of their shows since. It’s one of those songs we can’t help but scream along to every time it comes on in the car and the lyrics tap into emotions that almost everyone has experienced at some point.
More importantly, it proves just how strong those early foundations were. Even alongside newer material, the song still feels fresh and confident, highlighting the chemistry that has clearly been there from the very beginning.
The next two tracks, Leave It All Behind and I Can't Talk To You, are two more songs from the band's early days that never made it onto streaming platforms. Perhaps the biggest compliment we can give the CD is that every song can stand on its own. We find ourselves listening to the tracklist the whole way through each time, rather than solely gravitating to our favourites.
Closing the CD, the alternate version of Knees is another highlight. Having first heard the track back in April, it’s been fascinating to revisit it in this setting. There’s a warmth to the live arrangement that gives the song a different emotional weight.
Exploring the idea that we only ever know the version of someone they choose to show us, Knees wrestles with identity, perception and the uncertainty that comes with truly understanding another person. It’s a thought-provoking song that sticks with you long after it ends, begging the question - does anyone really know anyone?
It won't come as a surprise that The Davids are one of our favourite local bands, and they seem to be getting stronger with every release – Live CD included. Although it covers more of their earlier material, it perfectly sums up why they stand out in the local scene.
The Davids have curated a perfectly balanced tracklist while proving there’s still something special about a physical release. At a time when so much of the music we consume exists online, this Live CD feels refreshingly intentional. With only 50 copies in existence, it’s less like a standard release and more of a keepsake from this chapter of The Davids’ story.