The Reflector

This review is just further proof that not everyone "gets" Counting Crows. Their music requires thinking, empathy and introspection it's not an album you throw on your iPod and take to the gym. The guy that wrote this review just doesn't get the albums concept and probably hasn't followed the progression of Counting Crows as a band or Duriz as a writer. If you have been a fan for a while, you will love this album, if not then you probably won't get beyond the single "You Can't Count On Me" which is a great song, but probably the least impressive one on the whole album.

The author of this review demonstrated a callow approach in reviewing the album and should listen to it a few more times and then reconsider what he said. I guess I can't blame a 22-23 year old kid for making such rash and impetuous statements by posting puerile drivel. Like the other poster said, counting crows don't always fit into the IPOD quick fix crowd. The music is deep and the instruments (which you almost fail to mention) blend in great harmony. Instead you chose to concentrate on lyrics. Maybe as you get older and less jejune, you will appreciate this album based on its musical merits.

I hadn't noticed the name or location of this publication until after I read the review. As a journalist, I was a bit taken aback by what I thought was a skillfully crafted piece when I realized it came from a college newspaper.

The previous comments attack the author for his critical look at the Crows' lyrics, instead of looking at the music. As a huge fan of the band for years, this confused me. Duritz made a name for himself BECAUSE of his lyrics, so it seems fitting to continue to look at them as a measure of how the band is doing now.

And he did discuss the music -- astutely! With Ben Mize and Matt Malley gone, the album feels very different. But, it has its good moments (which the reporter points out).

Overall, I think this is an incredibly objective view of this album.

This is the first review I have read. And after listening to the album at least 6 or more times, I kept going back to it looking for "substance". I thought the review was pretty fair. And previous comments assuming the author is just some "college kid" and doesnt "get" the group... sorry but I think you might be diving alittle too far into the hash pipe. Listen, I am a die hard fan, have the groups lyrics memorized, seen them in concert over 12 times, met them, got many t-shirts.. I went to college many moons ago. With that said, I felt dissapointed to wait that long for an album even if they did lose 2 bandmates. Even when a genius song write like Adam Durwitz takes time off, he should at least have soem occasional lyrical inspirations. No? This album lacked the things I loved in the other albums. Each of the older ones had a common "theme". They had personality. Though all different, they were profound enough to stand the test of time. And honestly, I got bored with SNSM. The repetitive lyrics from old songs, the lack of real creativity, and lack of "flow". I will take hard candy, desert life, or August over this one in a heartbeat. Have they lost their spark? Who knows. But I am ready for the next album right now. I DO love this band. They have a chance to make something of themselves. Heck, even Neil Young and Willie Nelson had a few doosies.

Catie and dave,

I've been a fan since first hearing August and Everything After at the age of eight. I feel I've "gotten" Counting Crows for most of the 15 years I've been a listener. I just didn't always get this album because, as RC points out, there seems to be a lack of flow and the whole thing feels disjointed and overlong. The concept is clearly spelled out by band members in various media reports, so I felt justified in using information straight from those sources. I got the (very loose) concept; I questioned not the concept itself but how effectively and uniquely the group could get across such a simple concept.
As a record collector, I can confidently say I prefer vinyl to any MP3 player. I wasn't rating the album on how effective it is as a "quick fix," nor was I hoping to hear a "quick fix" Counting Crows record. That's the opposite of what I wanted to hear, which is why I didn't give this album a favorable review. To me it actually does sound like a quick fix.

Thanks for the feedback.

The band has hardly been a revolving door. After 16 some years, it is not so shocking that a couple of people are going to move on. If you had done your research you would know that the delay in the album was due to Duritz's suffering from severe depression and dissociative disorder, and had nothing to do with Mize or Malley.