Counting Crows – This Desert Life

Artist: Counting Crows

Title: This Desert Life

Label: Geffen

Rating: 8/10

I think the Counting Crows are a good band. Isn’t that enough? No, it’s not enough, not in today’s entertainment industry, where competition is fierce. Every time a band puts out a record, people are more about what that album says for them, rather than adding it to the sum of their work. It happens with everything that we observe in entertainment: sports, music, and movies. No matter who plays the significant roles, we always want more or something better than they’ve given us in the past. Now comes another Counting Crows album. And as I find myself looking at it from every view, I can’t help but compare it to their past releases.

I can tell you that “Hanginaround” just blew me away. I’ve found the Counting Crows can make me feel dark and introverted, yet this song has me clapping alone and humming with a little pep in my otherwise unenthusiastic step.

“There is a piece of Maria in every song I sing,” preaches Adam Duritz on “Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby”, and with that he croons another great track. And what would the Counting Crows be without depression? “Amy Hit The Atmosphere” will have you looking for prozac. If you don’t have a prescription plan, head back to “Hanginaround”, because the next track, “Four Days”, won’t exactly get you out of the funk.

“All My Friends” is classic Counting Crows. I love this track. I’m going to venture to say that this is my favorite song by them. Wow. I said it out loud. Well, sort of. “Colorblind” is another piano-riffic track. I can’t help it: for me, the best Counting Crows tracks are those which depress the hell out of me.

You thought this was going to be all ass kissing, right? Well, I’m just so sick of hearing guys singing songs like “I Wish I Was A Girl”. Unless your name is Boy George (i.e. unless you mean it), I don’t want to hear it from you.

After the last track, let it roll on for about nine minutes and you will catch the Counting Crows doing their best Black Crowes impression. It is fabulous. This is a great record. If I had to compare it to their past releases, which I have done for days, I would say this is my favorite among them. So let Mr. Jones lay, there is more to these Crows than one track. Oh, and continue to let the album play so that you can catch them clowning in the studio.

+ rae gun