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HARD CANDY
Counting Crows
(Geffen-Universal)
There was some suggestion that the latest album from these '90s soft-rock holdovers was going to be a collection of covers.
Instead, frontman-songwriter Adam Duritz opted to go the original route again, working with more than one producer -- Ethan John (Ryan Adams, Rufus Wainwright, Whiskeytown) and Steve Lillywhite (U2, The Pogues, The La's, The Rolling Stones, Talking, XTC) -- for the first time.
The change has done the veteran band some good as they release their most diverse-sounding album yet. It's in stores Tuesday.
Highlights include the melodic rocker American Girls with Sheryl Crow on background vocals, the lushly different Miami, Why Should You Come When I Call? and Up All Night (Frankie Miller Goes To Hollywood), the latter with John on congas and percussion. And there's the pretty acoustic track Carriage, which includes a trumpet solo, and the similarly stripped-down Black And Blue with Leona Naess on background vocals.
Unfortunately, there is very familiar sounding territory elsewhere. It's pleasant enough, but just not very exciting.
The one major misstep is the Bacharach-wannabe track, Butterfly In Reverse, with plenty of strings and Adams on background vocals. (More on Counting Crows)
Track Listing
1. Hard Candy
2. American Girls
3. Good Time
4. If I Could Give All My Love (Richard Manuel Is Dead)
5. Goodnight L.A.
6. Butterfly In Reverse
7. Miami
8. New Frontier
9. Carriage
10. Black And Blue
11. Why Should You Come When I Call?
12. Up All Night (Frankie Miller Goes To Hollywood)
13. Holiday In Spain