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Rating:
For my second review, I chose an album I have listened to again recently after a long time. I must point out that it has already been reviewed, and I apologize to those who don't approve of "duplicates" on DeBaser, but I want to give my perspective.
At the beginning of the '90s, the music scene in America was dominated (at least commercially) by a series of bands with a rather "dirty" sound. From Nirvana to Pearl Jam through Guns N' Roses to Alice in Chains. Even with different styles, they were associated with a quite violent, visceral sound. Radically different, however, were the Counting Crows, with an intimate music that had more in common with the early rock, folk, and songwriters than with more extreme genres like punk, metal, or hard rock. Moving on to the actual album, I won’t bore you with a track-by-track review, but I will describe the most significant pieces and, most importantly, the atmosphere that permeates the album. "August And Everything After" is indeed the epitome of the thoughts of part of that generation, somewhat pessimistic, somewhat fatalistic. It starts with "round here" a track of disarming beauty in terms of composition and lyrics, where Duritz sings about the feeling of dissatisfaction of Maria (probably not coincidentally a biblical name) tired of life, misunderstood, who therefore thinks "of the leap". It continues with "omaha" where the typical sound of American rock roots, complete with typical instruments like mandolin, harmonica, and organ, becomes even more evident. Mr. Jones needs little introduction, a super "hit" during those years even here, significantly boosted the album's sales, with a driving and melodic rhythm.
“Perfect Blue Buildings” is one of the darkest tracks in terms of atmosphere and lyrics, in which Duritz even attempts to "stay away from himself." The atmosphere continues to be rarefied in "Anna Begins" and "Time And Time Again." A true masterpiece of the album is Raining In Baltimore, accompanied by a delicate and soft piano, Duritz continues his lament of unhappy lives and desires while "it’s raining in Baltimore, but everything else does not change." A final note goes to "A Murder Of One" with a much more driving rhythm, especially in the riff.
"August And Everything After" is an honest album that finds its strength in expressing a sense of conflict typical of a disillusioned generation, but not for that reason more superficial. Those seeking a modern roots rock, even if strongly influenced by the classic styles of the genre, will come away satisfied after listening. The dark atmospheres, however, might not appeal to everyone.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Round Here (05:31)
Step out the front door like a ghost
Into the fog where no one notices
The contrast of white on white.
And in between the moon and you
Angels get a better view
Of the crumbling difference between wrong and right.
I walk in the air between the rain,
Through myself and back again.
Where? I don't know
Maria says she's dying.
Through the door, I hear her crying
Why? I don't know
Round here we always stand up straight
Round here something radiates
Maria came from Nashville with a suitcase in her hand
She said she'd like to meet a boy who looks like Elvis
She walks along the edge of where the ocean meets the land
Just like she's walking on a wire in the circus
She parks her car outside of my house and
Takes her clothes off,
Says she's close to understanding Jesus
She knows she's more than just a little misunderstood
She has trouble acting normal when she's nervous
Round here we're carving out our names
Round here we all look the same
Round here we talk just like lions
But we sacrifice like lambs
Round here she's slipping though my hands
Oh, Sleeping children better run like the wind
Out of the lightning dream
Mama's little baby better get herself in
Out of the lightning
She says, "It's only in my head."
She says, "Shhh...I know it's only in my head."
But the girl on the car in the parking lot
Says: "Man, you should try to take a shot
Can't you see my walls are crumbling?"
Then she looks up at the building
And says she's thinking of jumping.
She says she's tired of life
She must be tired of something.
Round here she's always on my mind
Round here, Hey man, I got lots of time
Round here we're never sent to bed early
And nobody makes us wait
Round here we stay up very very very very late
I... I can't see nothing, nothing
Round here
(Ya) Catch me if I'm falling
(Ya) Catch me if I'm falling
(Will'ya) Catch me 'cause I'm falling down on you
I said I'm under the gun
Round here
Oh man, I said I'm under the gun
Round here
I can't see nothing, nothing
Round here
02 Omaha (03:39)
Start tearing the old man down
Run past the heather and down to the old road
Start turning the grain into the ground
Roll a new leaf over
In the middle of the night
There's an old man treading around in the gathered rain
Well mister, if you're going to walk on water
Could you drop a line my way?
Omaha
Somewhere in middle America
Get right to the heart of matters
It's the heart that matters more
I think you better turn your ticket in
And get your money back at the door
Start threading a needle
Brush past the shuttle that slides through the cold room
Start turning the wool across the wire
Roll a new life over
In the middle of the night
there's an old man threading his toes through a bucket of rain
Hey mister, you don't want to walk on water
You're only going to walk all over me
Omaha
Somewhere in middle America
Get right to the heart of the matters
It's the heart that matters more
I think you better turn your ticket in
And get your money back at the door
Start running the banner down
Drop past the color come up through the summer rain
Start turning the girl into the ground
Roll a new love over
In the middle of the day
There's a young man rolling around in the earth and rain
Hey mister, if you're going to walk on water
You know you're only going to walk all over me.
Omaha
Somewhere in middle America
Get right to the heart of matters
It's the heart that matters more
I think you better turn your ticket in
And get your money back at the door
Omaha
Somewhere in middle America
Get right to the heart of matters
It's the heart that matters more
I think you better turn your ticket in
And get your money back at the door
03 Mr. Jones (04:32)
Sha la la la la la la uh huh
I was down at the New Amsterdam
Staring at this yellow-haired girl
Mr. Jones strikes up a conversation
With a black-haired flamenco dancer
She dances while her father plays guitar
She's suddenly beautiful
And we all want something beautiful
Man I wish I was beautiful
So come dance the silence down through the morning
Sha la la la la la la la yeah uh huh yeahh
Cut up Maria!
Show me some of that Spanish dancin'
Pass me a bottle, Mr. Jones
Believe in me, help me believe in anything
'Cause I want to be someone who believes
Yeah
Mr. Jones and me
Tell each other fairy tales
And we stare at the beautiful women
"She's looking at you.
Ah, no, no, she's looking at me."
Smiling in the bright lights
Coming through in stereo
When everybody loves you
You can never be lonely
Well I wanna paint my picture
Paint myself in blue and red and black and gray
All of the beautiful colors are very very meaningful
Yeah well you know gray is my favorite color
I felt so symbolic yesterday
If I knew Picasso
I would buy myself a gray guitar and play
Mr. Jones and me
Look into the future
Yeah we stare at the beautiful women
"She's looking at you.
I don't think so.
She's looking at me."
Standing in the spotlight
I bought myself a gray guitar
When everybody loves me,
I will never be lonely
I will never be lonely
So I'm never gonna be
Lone...ly
I want to be a lion
Yeah everybody wants to pass as cats
We all want to be big, big stars,
But we got different reasons for that
Believe in me
Cause I don't believe in anything
and I want to be someone to believe,
To believe,
To believe
Yeeeaahh
Mr. Jones and me
Stumbling through the barrio
Yeah we stare at the beautiful women
"She's perfect for you,
Man, there's got to be somebody for me."
I want to be Bob Dylan
Mr. Jones wishes he was someone just a little more funky
When everybody loves you,
Oh! Son, that's just about as funky as you can be
Mr. Jones and me
Staring at the video
When I look at the television, I want to see me
Staring right back at me
We all want to be big stars,
But we don't know why and we don't know how
But when everybody loves me,
I'm going to be just about as happy as I can be
Mr. Jones and me,
We're gonna be big stars
05 Anna Begins (04:31)
My friend assures me,
"It's all or nothing."
I am not worried,
I am not overly concerned....
My friend implores me,
"For one time only, make an exception."
I am not worried..
Wrap her up in a package of lies,
Send her off to a coconut island...
I am not worried,
I am not overly concerned....
'bout the status of my emotions,
"Oh," she says, "you're changing"
But we're always changing...
It does not bother me to say, "This isn't love..."
Cause if you don't want to talk about it
Then, it isn't love
And I guess I'm gonna have to live with that
But I'm sure there's something in a shade of gray
Or something in between,
And I can always change my name, if that's what you mean
My friend assures me
"It's all or nothing."
But I am not really worried
I am not overly concerned
You try to tell yourself
The things you try to tell yourself
To make yourself forget
To make yourself forget
I am not worried
"If it's love," she said "then we're going to have
to think about the consequences."
And she can't stop shaking,
And I can't stop touching her
And this time when kindness falls like rain
It washes her away
And Anna begins to change her mind
"These seconds when I'm shaking leave me shuddering for days," she says
And I'm not ready for this sort of thing
But I'm not gonna break,
And I'm not gonna worry about it anymore....
I'm not gonna bend,
And I'm not gonna break...
I'm not going to worry about it anymore
No, no, no, no, no
It seems like I should say
"As long as this is love..."
But it's not all that easy
so maybe I should
Snap her up in a butterfly net...
Pin her down on a photograph album...
I am not worried..
Cause I've done this sort of thing before.
But then I start to think about the consequences,
And I don't get no sleep in a quiet room
And this time when kindness falls like rain
It washes me away
And Anna begins to change my mind
Everytime she sneezes I believe it's love, and
Oh lord, I'm not ready for this sort of thing
She's talking in her sleep,
It's keeping me awake...
And Anna begins to toss and turn...
And every word is nonsense but I understand and,
Oh lord, I'm not ready for this sort of thing
Her kindness bangs a gong, it's moving me along
And Anna begins to fade away
It's chasing me away....
She disappears and,
Oh lord, I'm not ready for this sort of thing
07 Rain King (04:15)
When I think of heaven
Deliver me in a black-winged bird
I think of flying
down into a sea of pens and feathers
and all other instruments of faith and sex and God
In the belly of a black-winged bird
Don't try to bleed me
cuz' I've been here before and I deserve a little more
I belong in the service of the Queen
I belong anywhere but in between
She's been crying , I've been thinking
And I am the Rain King
Well i said
Mama, mama, mama, why am I so alone?
I can't go outside
I'm scared I might not make it home
I'm alive, i'm alive
but I'm sinking in
If there's anyone at home at your place dalrin'
Why don't you invite me in?
Don't try to bleed me
I've been there before and I deserve a little more
I belong in the service of the Queen
I belong anywhere but in between
She's been lying
I've been sinking
And I am the Rain King
Hey, I only want the same as anyone
Henderson is waiting for the sun
Oh, it seems night endlessly begins and ends
After all the dreaming I come home again...
When I think of heaven
(Deliver me in a black-winged bird)
I think of dying
Lay me down in a field of flame and heather
Render up my body into the burning heart of
God in the belly of a black-winged bird
Don't try to bleed me
'cause I've been here before and I deserve a little more
I belong in the service of the Queen
I belong anywhere but in between
She's been dying
and I've been drinking and I am the Rain King.
well i said i am the rain king...
08 Sullivan Street (04:29)
Take the way home that leads back to Sullivan St.
Cross the water and home through the town
Past the shadows that fall down wherever we meet
Pretty soon now I won't come around
I'm almost drowning in her sea
She's nearly fallen to her knees
Take the way home
Take the way home that leads back to Sullivan St.
Where all the bodies hang on the air
If she remembers, she hides it whenever we meet
Either way now, I don't really care
Cause I'm gone from there
I'm almost drowning in her sea
She's nearly crawling on her knees
She's down on her knees
Take the way home that leads back to Sullivan St.
Where I'm just another rider burned to the ground
Come tumbling down
I'm almost drowning in her sea
She's nearly crawling on her knees
It's almost everything I need
I'm down on my knees
I'm down on my knees
09 Ghost Train (04:02)
I took the cannonball down to the ocean
Across the desert from sea to shining sea
I rode a ladder that climbs across the nation
Fifty million feet of earth between the buried and me
"How do you do?"
She said, "Hey, how do you do?"
She buys a ticket 'cause it's cold where she comes from
She climbs aboard because she's scared of getting older in the snow
Love is a ghost train rumbling through the darkness
Hold on to me darling I've got nowhere else to go
"How do you do?"
She said, "How do you do?"
I took the cannonball down to the ocean
Watched the diesel disappear beneath the tumbling waves
Love is a ghost train howling on the radio
"Remember everything." she said, "when only memory remains."
"How do you do?"
She said, "Hey, how do you do?"
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Other reviews
By cliffburton86
"A masterpiece of rock music in general, created by a highly classy band, the Counting Crows."
"Adam’s voice captivates, narrating through fatalistic lyrics that penetrate the human soul and reach all the way into the heart."
By Tizi93
"Don’t tell me you’ve never dreamed of getting on stage and singing your songs in front of a huge crowd; well, I have, and the idea, damn it, drives me crazy!"
"I really saw myself on TV, but this time the stage was empty, no dancers; just me and my band and in front of us the same 100000 people, and I swear in the silence of my house I really shouted: 'I am Adam Duritz! We are the Counting Crows!'"
