The truth is that since bowing with its 1994 hit "Shine," Collective Soul has become one of rock's quietest success stories, selling seven million copies of its first three albums and churning out enough tracks to make itself a ubiquitous playlist presence. Can you name any of the members — or even recognize 'em on the street? Probably not, and it doesn't matter; Collective Soul is refreshingly about writing and playing good songs, more than a few of which happen to be pretty memorable.
Dosage, the Atlanta-based quintet's fourth release, doesn't stray too far from the course set by its predecessors, but it does introduce some new elements. A Celtic-style guitar reel loops through the opening track, "Tremble for My Beloved," while a slinky R&B groove pushes the bridges of "No More, No Less." "Compliment" engages in a bit of Queen-style bombast, while "Heavy" and "Slow" keeps the outfit's guitar cred intact. And Dosage's ballads are particularly effective, with frontman Ed Roland's warm, earnest tenor wrapping around the atmospheric "Crown," the richly textured "Run," and the particularly pretty "Needs." Four albums in, an identifiable sound is emerging, too, marked by Roland's voice and the buzzsaw sonics of the guitars. Collective Soul may be faceless, but it works just fine for the ears — which, ultimately, is all that matters.
— Gary Graff (Wall Of Sound)
wenty years ago, Collective Soul would have been the consummate arena opening act, the kind of group that enjoys enough radio play so you know who they are — even if you don't always remember the name of the band — but doesn't have quite enough hits or the kind of defining personality a headliner requires. In other words, think of Foghat, Blue Oyster Cult, and all the other '70s bands that perpetually propped up the big hall acts. That's a compliment, by the way, and it's reassuring to know that a band like this doesn't get lost amongst the myriad cults of personality that pervade late '90s rock and roll.