Counting Crows - Films About Ghosts: The Best Of...
My Thoughts: (Reviewed by Dirty Frank)
"This collection contains the most popular songs from the first ten years of Counting Crows. The decade represented here, 1993-2003, was a hard time for rock & roll. That the Counting Crows made it through sets them apart from most of the contenders in their class. Nirvana, Soundgarden, the Breeders, Sugar, Gin Blossoms, Smashing Pumpkins, and a couple of dozens others were torn in the confusion that followed mass success."
When I bought this album I only knew of two of the songs. The Counting Crows were rather new to me, but of what I heard I greatly enjoyed. I don't usually buy a cd when I only know one or two songs (ever since I bought the Sisco cd, damn you Sisco, which I resold to my brother for 3 bucks), but this one I had a good feeling about. The two songs that I knew were the popular radio hits "Hanginaround" and "Mr. Jones". After getting the cd and listening to it once I recognized at least 3 or 4 other songs that I had no idea they sang. This is just one of those bands. I would say that Counting Crows has two types of songs, upbeat catchy sing-along songs, and soft almost depressing ballad type songs. The first few times I listened to the album I caught right onto the "upbeat" ones, Songs like "Angels of the Silences" and the rather new recording of "Einstein on the Beach". But the more that I really listened to the cd I began to take pleasure in some of the softer songs like "Recovering the Satellites" and "Round Here". There are also a couple of covers on this cd as well, like the Joni Mitchell song "Big Yellow Taxi" that they turned into a favorite on the airwave, and the Grateful Dead tune "Friend of the Devil". At first I was alittle bewildered that they would have covers on a "Best of" album, but after I listened to themi realized what an excellent job they do with both of these songs. All in all, this album posses an ideal blend of songs, from the 8 minute long ballad "Mrs. Potter's Lullaby" to the much shorter "She Don't want Nobody Near" that ends the cd. Films about Ghosts is one that is sure to appeal to most true alternative rock fans. Is this truly a collection of their greatest songs? I don't know because I haven't heard enough to tell you. But what I can say is that with the unique voice of front man Adam Duritz and a group of talented musicians to back him up, this is a must have in your album collection.
