ESSENTIAL ALBUM REVIEW: Counting Crows “August and Everything After”

                For many people, Counting Crows and specifically this album means a lot of things.  While many of them might have similar ideas as to why they love this album, I have my own version of events as to why I like it so darn much.   It might be the same as someone else, but it is unique to me and my record collection.

                I bought this album for the song “Mr. Jones”, like most everyone else.  I then listened to (for the most part) that song, “Round Here”, “Rain King”, “Omaha” and the last song because they say their band name in it. 

                That could very easily be the extent of my story.  I’m sure that there have been a number of albums in my collection over time where I’ve only listened to a handful of songs on them and they are long since forgotten about.   But of course you know this isn’t about those albums and thus, the story goes on.

                When I was seventeen, at which time this album had been out for more years than I care to admit, I had a friend who was very much into that whole alternative rock scene, but mostly he liked the good bands.   He really loved Our Lady Peace, for instance.

                It was he who introduced me to the beauty of “Anna Begins”, and thus my whole perception of the album changed.   What once was turning into an afterthought, quickly came flooding back into view.  I hadn’t any other Counting Crows albums, and I wouldn’t for years, but this album always did stick with me from the start. 

                Although it may have taken me more time with this album than with any other to fully experience all of these songs, I just feel like it is that much better for me taking this journey to get to know it and some odd years later it’s just as relevant and stuck in my head as ever.