Description

In the midst of the early 1990s grunge boom, Counting Crows emerged as an alternative to the heavy, alienated sounds of the Kurt Cobain crowd. The California band harked back to the classic '60s folk-rock sounds of the Band, Bob Dylan, and Van Morrison. Poetic frontman Adam Duritz proved quirky and charismatic enough to endear himself to the millions who bought the group's debut album. Neatly avoiding the notorious sophomore jinx, the follow-up album was even more accomplished, if not as commercially successful.

Biography

This San Francisco, California, USA-based adult rock band grew out of the acoustic duo Sordid Humor, formed in 1989 by Adam Duritz (b. 1 August 1965, USA; vocals) and David Bryson (b. 5 November 1961, USA; guitar). Mat Malley (b. 4 July 1963, USA; bass), Steve Bowman (drums), and Charles Gillingham (b. 12 January 1960, USA; keyboards) fleshed out the line-up of the newly christened Counting Crows, a name lifted from an old English nursery rhyme. Early reports suggested the influence of the singer-songwriter tradition, notably Van Morrison. Other comparisons were made with the Band. In interviews Duritz was keen to point out that they were more than a retro outfit, although he applauded the organic approach to musicianship that lay behind the Band and their ilk. This was reflected on their well-received Geffen Records debut, August And Everything After, produced by T-Bone Burnett, which mixed traditional R&B elements with a raw, rocky delivery.
The MTV rotation of "Mr. Jones" undoubtedly augmented sales, as did critical reaction, David Cavanagh noting in UK newspaper The Independent that: "Its musical warmth makes it sound like a bunch of understated anthems in which, conceivably, millions could find solace." By mid-1994 the band's remarkable debut had achieved multi-platinum status, but they saw founding member Bowman depart to join Third Eye Blind. Ben Mize (b. 2 February 1971, USA; ex-Cracker) was brought in to replace him, and Dan Vickrey (b. 26 August 1966; lead guitar/mandolin) was also added to the line-up. The "difficult" second album, Recovering The Satellites, debuted at number 1 in the Billboard album chart in 1996, although the band sounded strained in their attempt to recreate the impact of their debut. The stopgap live set, Across A Wire: Live In New York, reached the US Top 20 in July 1998. This Desert Life was a return to form, with the loose swagger of tracks such as "Hanginaround" and "Mrs Potter's Lullabye" attaining an effortless peak. Hard Candy, featuring additional guitarist David Immerglück, was a lighter album lyrically and generally brighter musically, brought to life with snatches of 12-string Rickenbacker guitar and some uplifting middle eights and harmonies.
DISCOGRAPHY: August And Everything After (Geffen 1993)****, Recovering The Satellites (Geffen 1996)**, Across A Wire: Live In New York City (Geffen 1998)***, This Desert Life (Geffen 1999)****, Hard Candy (Geffen 2002)****.
COMPILATIONS: Films About Ghosts: The Best Of ... (Geffen 2003)****.

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