Kyle touched on a number of new releases a couple of days ago but he didn’t touch on the new releases of some of my favorite artists. Moby, R.E.M. and Counting Crows all recently put out new albums and I have to say that all three of them are a nice reminder of how great these artists are when they put out the music they are famous for making.

I was able to hear Moby’s new album via streaming audio a few weeks ago and it was a nice return to his EVERYTHING IS WRONG and PLAY sound of solid, danceable tunes. I haven’t heard R.E.M’s ACCELERATE yet but all of the reviews and feedback has been very positive. I hope to be reviewing both of those in upcoming entries…but not this one.

This entry is focused on my long list friend. That friend that you thought you would never re-connect with but somehow, your paths crossed again. This is that artist that you fell in love way back when your musical tastes were being developed and they opened your eyes to what a great live act and what a great songwriter might look like. This band, for me, was Counting Crows, and they have released SATURDAY NIGHTS AND SUNDAY MORNINGS (SNASM). I can say without any hesitation that it is their best album since RECOVERING THE SATELLITES.

It is difficult to be objective when you review or listen to an album by one of your oldest and favorite artists. You already have so many expectations and they are typically quite lofty. The Counting Crows always have had a distinctive sound that bordered between a fusion of folk rock ( Bob Dylan plugged in) and pop rock (see SHREK soundtrack). My dad always felt that Adam Duritz, the lead singer and songwriter, sounded like Travis Tritt (one of his favorite country singers). I never could figure out this comparison but it allowed me to listen to Counting Crows at obscenely loud levels when I was growing up. You have to take what you can get sometimes.

Now let me get into the actual new album’s songs. SNASM is a concept album that is to have two parts. The first part is hard-driving, gritty rock to insinuate a Saturday Night out amongst the parties and craziness. There are some definite songs of merit in the first 6 songs on this portion of the album. They have a very similar rough sound to them that the Crows had on their hard rock songs on the first two albums. The highlights of the first part would be “Hanging Tree,” “Los Angeles” and “Cowboys.” Most of Adam Duritz’s songs are about how he has a difficult time connecting with the general public. “Tree” is definitely about this concept and “Cowboys” is about his fascination with the two different types of people in the world (Cowboys and Clowns). "Los Angeles" is just a fun, hard rock song about going out and living life. These are some of the best hard rock songs that Duritz has written in a LONG time.

The other side of the disc, Sunday Mornings, is the type of Counting Crows that I fell in love with and still hold close to my heart. These are much slower, piano driven ballads about self-discovery, love, love lost and everything in between. They are the songs that are meant to have you reflect on what you did the night before (Sunday Mornings). As the disc has 14 songs, the majority of the focus is on Duritz’s forte. The songs that I fell in love right away were “Washington Square” (a song about how you need to keep psyching yourself up to keep on living your life no matter how bad things get), “On Almost Sunday Morning” (the best song on the disc about finding the right woman/person to spend your life with) and “Le Ballet D’Or (A song about getting over yourself and to just go out and live your life). The final song on the album, “Come Around,” reminded me of the final song on Counting Crows’ debut “Murder of One” as it is a very hopeful song that finishes everything on a positive note.

All in all, Counting Crows really made a fine album that is a vast improvement on their past two efforts. They are worth a reconnection or if you have never given them a try, a listen.