If you'll recall, Albums that I Love #1 was August and Everything After by the Counting Crows. Well after I had fallen in love with that album, it seemed like the Crows would never release another album. Finally they did, and basically it was, in my opinion, not very good. It was called Recovering the Satellites, and while it did feature a couple songs I liked, and one that I really love (Long December), basically I thought, "Well I guess August and Everything After was a fluke", and I gave up on them. You'll have to forgive me, because I was still new to the world of music and sophomore albums. Looking back now, its still my least favorite Counting Crows album.
So years later, I found out that the band was still together and making albums. I saw their most recent album "This Desert Life" at the bookstore, but it still took me a good while before I finally decided to check it out. And I'm sure glad I did.
Here are the tracks:
1. Hanginaround
The Crows come out rockin' in one of their most upbeat songs ever. By upbeat, I don't mean that the subject matter is happy or anything. Its just a very jazzy tune that they really rock out with when they play it live.
2. Mrs. Potter's Lullaby
This nearly 8-minute track meanders all over the place. Its a great song, but I can't really find words to describe it. I like the line "the elephants will get out and forget to remember what you said".
3. Amy Hit the Atmosphere
This is more what I expect from the Crows, not that I don't enjoy their upbeat stuff, but this one just feels very classic Crows. It ends with a great refrain of "All I really know is I wanna know, and all I really know is I don't wanna know."
4. Four Days
A pretty good song, I like the sound of the bass (rhythm?) guitar in this song.
5. All My Friends
Another great song, pretty much just Adam singing about regrets and trying to find your way.
6. High Life
Probably my least favorite song on the album. Strangely enough the title of the album comes from this song.
7. Colorblind
Great piano song. "I am covered in skin. No one gets to come in."
8. I Wish I Was a Girl
A song about being on the road and having a girlfriend at home who dreams that you're out their cheating, and how if he were a girl his girlfriend might actually believe him when he says he's not.
9. Speedway
Probably my 2nd least favorite song on the album. Kind of slow and wandering. About thinking about getting out of a bad relationship that you're addicted to.
10. St. Robinson in His Cadillac Dream
This is probably my favorite song on the album. I really love the way the organ resonates. Its got a jazzy feel like Hanginaround. Good bookends to the albums. "I keep thinking tomorrow is coming today. So I am endlessly waiting."
11. Kid Things
This hidden track actually feels like the band loosened up the screws a bit. The production quality is (purposely) a bit lower than the rest of the album. Talking about how love can make you feel and act like a kid sometimes.
Needless to say, this album restored my faith in the Counting Crows.
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