After the Ceiling Cracked captures Pelican in top form.

Culled from an hour-long show at London's Kings Cross Scala in late 2005, After the Ceiling Cracked captures Pelican in top form. Not content in going through the motions, the makers of this DVD definitely applied an artistic touch in capturing this show. While utilizing multiple angles, the cameras do not remain static. There are times that members are framed neck to torso, taking the focus away from their faces and to the instruments they are playing. In addition to the deft camera work, the lights in the venue change from hues of red to hues of green and blue. Add on the ubiquitous fog machine, and Kings Cross Scala was in the proper mode for a Pelican show.

This may sound silly, but it is the truth. While the main feature of this disc focuses on songs from 2005's The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw, the bonus live footage stretches from 2003 to 2006, thus capturing music from throughout the band's existence. Ceiling Cracked also includes a music video for "Autumn Into Summer," a photo gallery, an interview from 2006, and a three-song, three-inch CD. (Note: This disc was not included with the review copy of this DVD)

When it comes to Pelican, the well of superlatives has all but run dry. The Chicago outfit is simply magnificent and this DVD does an ample job of backing that up. While a lot of concert DVDs are slapshot affairs, After the Ceiling Cracked easily makes the cut. A | David Lichius

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