COUNTING CROWS
''FILMS ABOUT GHOSTS: THE BEST OF...''
NOVEMBER 25 2003
74:49
1 Angels Of The Silences (Counting Crows, Adam Duritz, Charlie Gillingham) 03:37
2 Round Here (David Bryson, Adam Duritz, Dave Janusko, Dan Jewett, Chris Roldan) 05:29
3 Rain King (David Bryson, Adam Duritz) 04:12
4 A Long December (Adam Duritz) 04:54
5 Hanginaround (David Bryson, Adam Duritz, Ben Mize, Dan Vickrey) 04:11
6 Mrs. Potters Lullaby (Adam Duritz) 07:43
7 Mr. Jones (David Bryson, Adam Duritz) 04:30
8 Recovering The Satellites (Adam Duritz) 05:22
9 American Girls (Adam Duritz) featuring Sheryl Crow 04:32
10 Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell) featuring Vanessa Carlton 03:42
11 Omaha (Adam Duritz) 03:38
12 Friend Of The Devil (John Dawson, Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter) 04:33
13 Einstein On The Beach (For An Eggman) (David Bryson, Adam Duritz) 03:50
14 Anna Begins (David Bryson, Adam Duritz, Toby Hawkins, Lydia Holly, Marty Jones) 04:29
15 Holiday In Spain (Adam Duritz) 03:46
16 She Don't Want Nobody Near (Adam Duritz, Brendan O'Brien) 03:06
17 Accidentally In Love (David Bryson, Adam Duritz, David Immerglück, Matthew Malley, Dan Vickrey) 03:07
Jim Bogios/Drums, Loops, Percussion, Vocals
Steve Bowman/Drums, Vocals
David Bryson/Dobro, Guitar, Guitar (12 String Electric), Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Slide Guitar, Vocals
Vanessa Carlton/Vocals (Background)
Sheryl Crow/Vocals (Background)
Christos Demetriou/Violin
Adam Duritz/Bells, Harmonica, Piano, String Samples, Tambourine, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals, Wurlitzer
Charlie Gillingham/Accordion, Chamberlin, Guitar (Acoustic), Harmonica, Keyboards, Mellotron, Omnichord, Organ (Hammond), Piano, Piano (Electric), Synthesizer, Tack Piano, Vocals, Wurlitzer
David Immerglück/Bass, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Mandolin, Sitar (Electric), Slide Guitar, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals
Matt Malley/Guitar (Bass), Piano, Vocals
Matthew Malley/Bass (Electric), Double Bass, Guitar, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals
Ben Mize/Drums, Loops, Percussion, Tambourine, Vocals
Brendan O'Brien/Bass, Harp, Percussion, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals (Background)
Millard Powers/Guitar (Bass)
Dani Vickery/Guitar
Dan Vickrey/Banjo, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Sitar, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals
REVIEW
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine / AMG
Counting Crows always seemed a little older than their years, so it somehow seemed appropriate when they arrived at certain milestones a little earlier than their peers. They released their first live album, an exhaustive double-disc set, just two albums into their career, then, two albums later, they issued Films About Ghosts: The Best of..., their first compilation. Part of the reason they're issuing a compilation after just four studio albums may be that they've arrived at the end of the recording contract with Geffen and this ties up loose ends, but it's also been ten years since the band broke through with their debut August and Everything After and their first hit, "Mr. Jones," so it's a good time to take stock and recap their first decade. Films About Ghosts does offer an accurate summary of those ten years, even if it's not a complete one. While this generous 16-track compilation includes all of the major hits -- "Round Here," "A Long December," "Hanginaround," "Mr. Jones," and even the non-LP modern rock chart-topper "Einstein on the Beach (For an Eggman)" -- it does overlook three charting singles from their first two albums("A Murder of One," "Daylight Fading," "Have You Seen Me Lately"), substituting album tracks, and two new recordings produced by Brendan O'Brien (the good new single "She Don't Want Nobody Near," an enjoyable but superfluous cover of the Grateful Dead's "Friend of the Devil") instead. Add to this a deliberately non-chronological sequencing that prevents the album from giving proper momentum, and Films About Ghosts isn't as ideal a compilation as it could have been, but these are rather minor issues, since it does contain the great majority of the Counting Crows' hits and concert staples and, in doing so, it provides a listen that's as enjoyable, frustrating, and rewarding as the band's proper albums. And that means it's a fine summary of the group's stint at Geffen, an era that might have resulted in just four albums in ten years, but did provide a bunch of good music, much of which can be heard here.
BIOGRAPHY
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine / AMG
With their angst-filled hybrid of Van Morrison, the Band, and R.E.M., Counting Crows became an overnight sensation in 1994. Only a year earlier, the band was a group of unknown musicians, filling in for the absent Van Morrison at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony; they were introduced by an enthusiastic Robbie Robertson. Early in 1993, the band recorded its debut album, August and Everything After, with T-Bone Burnett. Released in the fall, it was a dark and somber record, driven by the morose lyrics and expressive vocals of Adam Duritz. The only uptempo song, "Mr. Jones," became their ticket to stardom, and Counting Crows enjoyed a significant amount of success throughout the '90s and beyond.
What made Counting Crows unique was how they were able to balance Duritz's tortured lyrics with the sound of the late '60s and early '70s; it made them one of the few alternative bands to appeal to listeners who thought that rock & roll died in 1972. Recovering the Satellites followed in 1996, and "A Long December" was a Top Ten hit on both the Modern Rock and Adult Top 40 charts. The band issued the two-disc Across a Wire: Live in New York in 1998, and the following year saw the release of Counting Crows' third studio album, This Desert Life. In the midst of recording and collaborating with Ryan Adams on his sophomore album, Gold, Duritz joined his band in the studio as well. The fruit of those sessions was the group's Steve Lillywhite-produced fourth album, Hard Candy.
The next year saw the release of the best-of Films About Ghosts, and in 2004 Counting Crows reminded fans of their ability to write a hit single with "Accidentally in Love," which appeared on the Shrek 2 soundtrack. Two years later, New Amsterdam: Live at Heineken Music Hall, recorded from a show on February 6, 2003, was made available to the public. In 2008 the band issued Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings, a concept record divided into two halves: the more rowdy, upbeat rock of Saturday night soundtracks and the mellow alt-country side of Sunday morning hangovers.
In 2009 the band parted ways with its longtime major-label home Geffen Records, but continued to tour and write new material as feverishly as ever. Duritz struggled with mental problems and prescription drug addiction following the split with Geffen, working on solo material that he released in part online. August and Everything After: Live at Town Hall, the band's third official live album, was released in 2011. To tide fans over until the release of an album of new material, the band offered up a collection of cover songs entitled Underwater Sunshine (Or What We Did on Our Summer Vacation) in 2012 and yet another live album, Echoes of the Outlaw Roadshow, the following year. While touring in 2013 the group started to write material for what would become its seventh album. Recorded at the end of 2013 with producer Brian Deck, Somewhere Under Wonderland saw release in September 2014.
OFFICIAL SITE
2 Round Here (David Bryson, Adam Duritz, Dave Janusko, Dan Jewett, Chris Roldan) 05:29
3 Rain King (David Bryson, Adam Duritz) 04:12
4 A Long December (Adam Duritz) 04:54
5 Hanginaround (David Bryson, Adam Duritz, Ben Mize, Dan Vickrey) 04:11
6 Mrs. Potters Lullaby (Adam Duritz) 07:43
7 Mr. Jones (David Bryson, Adam Duritz) 04:30
8 Recovering The Satellites (Adam Duritz) 05:22
9 American Girls (Adam Duritz) featuring Sheryl Crow 04:32
10 Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell) featuring Vanessa Carlton 03:42
11 Omaha (Adam Duritz) 03:38
12 Friend Of The Devil (John Dawson, Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter) 04:33
13 Einstein On The Beach (For An Eggman) (David Bryson, Adam Duritz) 03:50
14 Anna Begins (David Bryson, Adam Duritz, Toby Hawkins, Lydia Holly, Marty Jones) 04:29
15 Holiday In Spain (Adam Duritz) 03:46
16 She Don't Want Nobody Near (Adam Duritz, Brendan O'Brien) 03:06
17 Accidentally In Love (David Bryson, Adam Duritz, David Immerglück, Matthew Malley, Dan Vickrey) 03:07
Jim Bogios/Drums, Loops, Percussion, Vocals
Steve Bowman/Drums, Vocals
David Bryson/Dobro, Guitar, Guitar (12 String Electric), Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Slide Guitar, Vocals
Vanessa Carlton/Vocals (Background)
Sheryl Crow/Vocals (Background)
Christos Demetriou/Violin
Adam Duritz/Bells, Harmonica, Piano, String Samples, Tambourine, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals, Wurlitzer
Charlie Gillingham/Accordion, Chamberlin, Guitar (Acoustic), Harmonica, Keyboards, Mellotron, Omnichord, Organ (Hammond), Piano, Piano (Electric), Synthesizer, Tack Piano, Vocals, Wurlitzer
David Immerglück/Bass, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Mandolin, Sitar (Electric), Slide Guitar, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals
Matt Malley/Guitar (Bass), Piano, Vocals
Matthew Malley/Bass (Electric), Double Bass, Guitar, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals
Ben Mize/Drums, Loops, Percussion, Tambourine, Vocals
Brendan O'Brien/Bass, Harp, Percussion, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals (Background)
Millard Powers/Guitar (Bass)
Dani Vickery/Guitar
Dan Vickrey/Banjo, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Sitar, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals
REVIEW
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine / AMG
Counting Crows always seemed a little older than their years, so it somehow seemed appropriate when they arrived at certain milestones a little earlier than their peers. They released their first live album, an exhaustive double-disc set, just two albums into their career, then, two albums later, they issued Films About Ghosts: The Best of..., their first compilation. Part of the reason they're issuing a compilation after just four studio albums may be that they've arrived at the end of the recording contract with Geffen and this ties up loose ends, but it's also been ten years since the band broke through with their debut August and Everything After and their first hit, "Mr. Jones," so it's a good time to take stock and recap their first decade. Films About Ghosts does offer an accurate summary of those ten years, even if it's not a complete one. While this generous 16-track compilation includes all of the major hits -- "Round Here," "A Long December," "Hanginaround," "Mr. Jones," and even the non-LP modern rock chart-topper "Einstein on the Beach (For an Eggman)" -- it does overlook three charting singles from their first two albums("A Murder of One," "Daylight Fading," "Have You Seen Me Lately"), substituting album tracks, and two new recordings produced by Brendan O'Brien (the good new single "She Don't Want Nobody Near," an enjoyable but superfluous cover of the Grateful Dead's "Friend of the Devil") instead. Add to this a deliberately non-chronological sequencing that prevents the album from giving proper momentum, and Films About Ghosts isn't as ideal a compilation as it could have been, but these are rather minor issues, since it does contain the great majority of the Counting Crows' hits and concert staples and, in doing so, it provides a listen that's as enjoyable, frustrating, and rewarding as the band's proper albums. And that means it's a fine summary of the group's stint at Geffen, an era that might have resulted in just four albums in ten years, but did provide a bunch of good music, much of which can be heard here.
BIOGRAPHY
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine / AMG
With their angst-filled hybrid of Van Morrison, the Band, and R.E.M., Counting Crows became an overnight sensation in 1994. Only a year earlier, the band was a group of unknown musicians, filling in for the absent Van Morrison at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony; they were introduced by an enthusiastic Robbie Robertson. Early in 1993, the band recorded its debut album, August and Everything After, with T-Bone Burnett. Released in the fall, it was a dark and somber record, driven by the morose lyrics and expressive vocals of Adam Duritz. The only uptempo song, "Mr. Jones," became their ticket to stardom, and Counting Crows enjoyed a significant amount of success throughout the '90s and beyond.
What made Counting Crows unique was how they were able to balance Duritz's tortured lyrics with the sound of the late '60s and early '70s; it made them one of the few alternative bands to appeal to listeners who thought that rock & roll died in 1972. Recovering the Satellites followed in 1996, and "A Long December" was a Top Ten hit on both the Modern Rock and Adult Top 40 charts. The band issued the two-disc Across a Wire: Live in New York in 1998, and the following year saw the release of Counting Crows' third studio album, This Desert Life. In the midst of recording and collaborating with Ryan Adams on his sophomore album, Gold, Duritz joined his band in the studio as well. The fruit of those sessions was the group's Steve Lillywhite-produced fourth album, Hard Candy.
The next year saw the release of the best-of Films About Ghosts, and in 2004 Counting Crows reminded fans of their ability to write a hit single with "Accidentally in Love," which appeared on the Shrek 2 soundtrack. Two years later, New Amsterdam: Live at Heineken Music Hall, recorded from a show on February 6, 2003, was made available to the public. In 2008 the band issued Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings, a concept record divided into two halves: the more rowdy, upbeat rock of Saturday night soundtracks and the mellow alt-country side of Sunday morning hangovers.
In 2009 the band parted ways with its longtime major-label home Geffen Records, but continued to tour and write new material as feverishly as ever. Duritz struggled with mental problems and prescription drug addiction following the split with Geffen, working on solo material that he released in part online. August and Everything After: Live at Town Hall, the band's third official live album, was released in 2011. To tide fans over until the release of an album of new material, the band offered up a collection of cover songs entitled Underwater Sunshine (Or What We Did on Our Summer Vacation) in 2012 and yet another live album, Echoes of the Outlaw Roadshow, the following year. While touring in 2013 the group started to write material for what would become its seventh album. Recorded at the end of 2013 with producer Brian Deck, Somewhere Under Wonderland saw release in September 2014.
OFFICIAL SITE
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