Whether or not you’re a fan, calling the Counting Crows one of the most popular bands of the ’90s is not an overstatement.
The band’s 1993 multi-platinum Grammy-nominated debut August And Everything After, featuring their biggest hits "Mr. Jones" and "Round Here," was a timely dose of jangle pop for those wanting to escape the shrieking sounds of the grunge bands that dominated the airwaves at the time.
Lead vocalist Adam Duritz and company showed up along side contemporaries Hootie and the Blowfish and Dave Matthews Band, collectively softening pop radio while simultaneously forming large fan bases. The band’s fifth studio album and eighth release, Saturday Nights ‘ Sunday Mornings, follows suit.
The album is split into two separately produced sections that differ in both mood and meaning. Armed with ringing guitars and rowdy behavior, Saturday Nights, produced by Gil Norton (Pixies, Foo Fighters), is meant for a Saturday night out on the town.
The album opens with "1492," Counting Crows heaviest song to date, filled with lyrics about angst and conceit: "Oh where did we disappear/to the silence that surrounds us/ and then drowns us in the end/ Where these people who impersonate our friends."
"Hanging Tree" follows suit and "Los Angeles," a blues-rock soul-searcher about dealing with celebrity status, highlight the first half of the album.
Brian Deck (Iron ‘ Wine, Modest Mouse) produced the album’s hangover Sunday Mornings, which completely abandons the previous night’s approach.
This side opens with "Washington Square," an acoustic downer that disrupts the album from its opening chords. Although it’s a well-written song, the Springsteen-esque sound does not mesh well with the album’s other songs.
"When I Dream of Michelangelo," which sounds like an outtake from their second album Recovering the Satellites, redirects the album to a safer place, bringing more of the band back into the mix while remaining gentle enough for the morning after.
"You Can’t Count On Me," the album’s first single, is classic Crows and will get plenty of airplay and "On A Tuesday In Amsterdam Long Ago" showcases Duritz’ songwriting.
Though Saturday Nights ‘ Sunday Mornings is meant to be heard in its entirety, the album is best enjoyed as two separate entities. There are remnants of the band’s past albums between the lines, but there’s still enough new material as to not fall stagnant. Fans will be pleased with the outcome and the band may even find its next generation of fans.
