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Customer Reviews: Average Rating:  Rating : - Exile: Redux
4.5 Stars.
The Counting Crows are "back," although honestly I don't know where from. Their commercial zenith may have been August and Everything After, but their path from that record to Hard Candy has actually been one of growth and this new offering shows them continuing in an interesting and very heartfelt direction. What they've done here is to essentially create a Stones album, but it's a better one than most of what the Stones have put forth since Exile on Main St. Some of the songs have echoes of Springsteen at his bleakest (think Nebraska), such as "Cowboys" which speaks of everyday violence. This album also oddly reminds me of Gentleman's Blues, which tackles the downside of fame and success. In fact the two discs are kindred spirits or even partners in crime with their raw bluesy attack and cynical take on fame.
Listening to all of this in one sitting is a little difficult, especially after reaching the halfway point on the somber "second side" where the slow tempos begin to drag a little. Perhaps mixing it up might have made for a somewhat easier listening experience. But from a purely artistic perspective, the concept works. Additionally, taken song-by-song this is a very strong disc, each contributing thought-provoking ideas in a tumble of words set against the rootsiest, rawest rock n roll I have heard since Marah'sAngels of Destruction. My favorite songs here are "Hanging Tree," "Insignificant," "Cowboys," "Washington Square," "When I Dream of Michaelangelo" and "You Can't Count On Me." I'm not going to do a track-by-track analysis because that has already been covered very well by other reviewers. I will say however that each track merits full attention from the listener. They all contain plenty of interesting ideas and a lot of imagery which will take time and thought to decipher. It's serious music for a serious music lover, and this band maintains its integrity by continuing to produce such music in an era when that sort of thing has become very scarce.
As you can see from the other albums I have referred to in my review, this disc echoes an earlier time when big, sprawling roots-rock albums were what was considered "pop" music. There's no fooling anyone that this sort of thing is really "pop" in the "popular" sense anymore. Yet there are bands and individuals out there creating truly classic rock albums (Marah, Wilco, REM and Ian Hunter to name a few) if you are willing to dig a little deeper. I suppose the greatest praise I can give any new release these days is that it sits proudly alongside the better works of its predecessors from both current and past eras. This album does that in spades. A worthy addition to any true rock fan's collection. + See Full Customer Review |  |
