By Chris Beeman
es, they are the band that did "Mr. Jones" and "Yellow Taxi," but they are also the band that did "Round Here," "Goodnight Elisabeth," and "Mrs. Potters Lullaby"—in my opinion some of the best songs ever written.
I'm not sure when it became cool to dislike Counting Crows – probably because even 15 years later "Mr. Jones" is so overplayed, the other overplayed songs are jealous. And yes, they have sold millions and millions of records and yes, they have become Karaoke staples. But, when as a society did we become so jaded that we have to dislike something just because it's "too popular?" I think most of us have fallen into this trap at one time or another. I will admit that I did recently. I was a little less vocal about sharing The Weepies when their songs started showing up on Old Navy commercials and when I heard "Daylight" from the band Matt and Kim on a Bicardi commercial one of my first thoughts was great another band sells out. Matt and Kim and The Weepies are both bands I really love but as soon as they started getting some commercial success I was too cool for them. Why do we let popularity dictate the quality of the music? Not every band with a hit on their hands is a corporate manufactured sell-out. And in this age where bands come and go faster than Kid Rock changes his underwear, a band that has been around for 15 years and one that can still craft hit songs deserves some respect.
So, YES, I am a Counting Crows fan and I am LOUD and PROUD!
A very nice review. I've always thought of this album as the better reference point for those who got sick of the "August" radio singles. "Angels of the Silences" and "Daylight Fading" are just...man, that's a terrific 1-2 punch. Thanks for reminding me about this LP.
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