COUNTING CROWS Vinyl & CDs

Review: Seven strong San Francisco rock band Counting Crows have always walked a fine line between intimate storytelling and grandiose soundscapes. This time - taking the four tracks from their Butter Suite pt 1 Ep and adding five more new tracks - they sound like a band utterly in control of their own narrative. Adam Duritz's lyrics reflect a certain self-assurance as they weave through themes of reinvention and regret. Musically, the band brings a tighter, more focused intensity, merging rock, folk and even hints of alt-country with the ease of a band at their peak. 'Spaceman In Tulsa' takes its time, unfolding languidly, savouring every detail before pushing forward. And in moments like 'Boxcars,' it's clear this is the most cohesive they've sounded in years, with every instrument serving the story rather than competing for attention. They've done the work, and now, it's all paying off.

Review: Counting Crows' sequent 2021's Butter Miracle: Suite One with The Complete Sweets! Now expanding on the themes of its predecessor, the record hears all four tracks from Suite One alongside five new songs, blending this heartsick Berkeley, CA band's signature storytelling with sweeping melodies and raw emotion. Leading the charge is 'Spaceman In Tulsa', a striking single that not only marks their first new music in nearly five years, but appropriately concerns itself with the theme of metamorphosis - "the way music breaks down who we were and spins us into something new. It's about broken lives becoming something better," in the words of frontman Adam Duritz. The record coincides with a fresh tour kicking off in Nashville in Spring 2025, with stops across North America and Europe.