Counting Crows – Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings

• 16th Apr 2008

Five albums in and five years after the release of their last album, many bands would have been tempted to change their musical direction slightly, become that little bit more adventurous and pushed that envelope a little bit further near the tables edge but not The Counting Crows. They are the musical equivalent of Ronseal, you know exactly what you are going to get every time around. So it’s not surprising to find that this album is chock full of prime time, chorus driven radio friendly MOR songs just begging to be heard and taken notice of.

Split into two distinctive parts, the first labelled ‘Saturday Nights’ is the more rockier side. Opener ‘1492’ sounds a lot like latter day Foo Fighters at other points such on ‘Hanging Tree’ they verge on REM’s classic wide eyed distinctive pop so much that they put Micheal Stipe and co’s recent efforts to shame.

The second half of the album is the more laid back part, the early morning full compared to the previous parts wild night of frolics, laden with songs about regret it trickles along. Those previous REM comparisons equally valid though this time it’s with their more down beat piano driven moments, the comparison especially relevant on ‘You Can’t Count On Me’ and the song ‘Come Around’. Those with a passion for MOR will find it hard not to find something of note here.