We Were Alive!‎

{{Infobox album

| name = We Were Alive!

| type = live

| artist = Angels of Light

| cover = Angels_of_Light_We_Were_Alive.jpg

| alt =

| released = 2002

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre =

| length = 72:51

| label = Young God

| producer = Michael Gira

| prev_title = How I Loved You

| prev_year = 2001

| next_title = Everything Is Good Here/Please Come Home

| next_year = 2003

}}

We Were Alive! is a live album by folk rock band Angels of Light. It was released in 2002, and contains two songs previously recorded by Swans. It was limited to 750 copies on release.{{cite web | url=http://livesite.younggodrecords.com/we-were-alive-angels-of-light | title="The Angels of Light - We Were Alive!" | publisher=Young God Records | accessdate=March 10, 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119144413/http://livesite.younggodrecords.com/we-were-alive-angels-of-light |archivedate=January 19, 2013}}

The earnings from the record sales were used for the production of Angels of Light's next studio release, Everything Is Good Here/Please Come Home.{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IwkKAQAAMAAJ&q=%22We+Were+Alive!%22+%22angels+of+light%22 | title=The encyclopedia of popular music | publisher=MUZE | author=Larkin, Colin | year=2006 | pages=196 | isbn=0195313739}} The same funding strategy was subsequently used by Angels of Light frontman Michael Gira's other band Swans, starting in 2012 when the band released their live album, We Rose from Your Bed with the Sun in Our Head to fund their then-upcoming album The Seer.{{cite web | url=http://pitchfork.com/news/52639-swans-funding-new-album-with-live-record-and-more-michael-gira-will-write-a-song-about-you/ | title=Swans Funding New Album With Live Record and More, Michael Gira Will Write a Song About You | publisher=Pitchfork | date=October 14, 2013 | accessdate=March 10, 2014 | author=Pelly, Jenn}}

Critical reception

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = Allmusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web | url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/we-were-alive%21-mw0000990174 | title=Angels of Light - We Were Alive! | publisher=Allmusic | accessdate=March 10, 2014 | author=Raggett, Ned}}

}}

Ned Raggett of Allmusic wrote: "The sound quality sometimes results in a distanced overall mix (it combined desk recordings with a live room mic), which often can bury Mullins' quieter drum work to the point of sensing it rather than hearing it. It's unfortunate but not crippling, and in ways actually gives We Were Alive! a weird texture that's worth a listen." Peter Marks of Release Magazine stated: "Delicate interludes in the midst of absolute chaotic cruelty which would make Glenn Branca blush."