AMG Review of Live from the Milky Way

MacKenzie Wilson
All Music Guide

Live From the Milky Way is a chilling depiction of singer/songwriter Heather Nova's ethereal vocals and brooding performance for which she made herself known for throughout the late 90s. This six-song EP captures Nova circa 1995 at a gig in Amsterdam, illustrating her most honest and passionate social inclinations. All cuts are raw, exuding Nova's vibrant sensuality and birdlike choruses found on 1994's Oyster. "Sugar" and "Verona" are cathartic for Nova, rousing guitar riffs and hearkening lyrics twist her internal angst into something surreal. She is an individualist, presenting her material with a calm, yet impacting approach. Live From the Milky Way is a sonic seascape of pinch-hitting throws and thumping hooks, and Heather Nova was well on her way in establishing herself as a prominent lyrical visionary in the female rock circuit.