Counting Crows "Underwater Sunshine (Or What We Did on Summer Vacation)"

       Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings happen to be polar opposites for some people, while they are no different for others. The Counting Crows had made an attempt at a loose conceptual album simply about partying on Saturday Night, making mistakes, and then becoming new again on Sunday Morning. There were two discs, each representing an audio counterpart to its representative day, and the first disc was full of gritty rockers with a tendency to have an attitude and be a little loud; it is quite invigorating, and surprising if you have only heard their singles. The second disc may be more your fancy because they are more laidback, but that didn’t mean that they were without variety. Monday eventually came, and then the band was eventually dropped from their label.                                                                                                               They let everyone know on their website that their career was  up in the air. Finally, they have returned, and when I heard they had discovered Underwater Sunshine (Or What We Did On Our Summer Vacation) and saw the cover I was highly intrigued because the sound seemed to be open for anything, and the only restrictions were that of fiscal. Overcoming the fact that it can be called a very long summer vacation (considering most last around two months, or around three for college students) I found out that it would also be an album of covers, and I was less than enthused. The album, for what it is, happens to be a stronger release than their previous effort even though I enjoyed about half of the songs on there. The first track is a Romany Rye cover of an “Untitled (Love Song),” and happens to have more energy than you would assume. Maybe I should just “Start Again,” but then I would mislead you; the piano is the main order of business in this meeting of the Teenage Fanclub.                                                                                                             Covers are tricky affairs because some songs are better if they are taken for a semi, and others sound better with the most minute of changes. Maybe if we “Meet on the Ledge” instead of at the Fairport Convention we can make better songs, and write better words; I was a fan of the original, but this was an example of how a small change can make a difference. The next song draws you in "Like Teenage Gravity” even if there is no discernible factor as to why it does so; the guitar just sounds so convincing that it is hard to overlook, or maybe it is the contrast between Anderson and Duritz in the vocal department, but to teens they sometimes appreciate style more than substance. As to which version of the next song is better, we should leave it up to “Amie,” but you gotta love that accordion though. This next song is another one that had me “Coming Around” to the notion of this record being a more proficient one; even if the majority of the songs they play it by the book. I may have heard the original countless times at work, but this version sounds more natural with the whole bar blues vibe; Rod Stewart sounds out of place with original arrangement. This may be one of the most radical of covers, “Ooh La La.” Out of  “All My Failures” the one I have made trying to find much difference between both arrangements is one I really don’t mind. “The Return of the Grievous Angel” finds the cover not as twangy, but still has something at the end that makes the “sequel” worth listening to. “Four White Stallions” rode to memory lane when the Counting Crows covered another song exposing those tender mercies (whom part of CC used to be part of). It didn’t sound like they were rushing to finish their homework to hand it in in the nick of time, but the album seemed to drag towards the end; it was good, just not my favorite. My favorites: Hospital, Meet on the Ledge, Coming Around, Ooh La La,  The Return of Grievous Angel, and Jumping Jesus.