Customer Reviews

Collective Soul

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In 1994, a song called Shine could be heard on just about every single radio at least once a day. The band that produced this flawless song was completely unknown at the time and could have been one of the all time great one hit wonders. This band was called Collective Soul, and just a year after Shine came out and blew everyone away, they released their second studio album, called Collective Soul. It was this album that started Collective Soul on a path to greatness. With three number one hits and an album that had not one bad song on it, it appeared that this once unnoticed band from Georgia was going to be the biggest act of the nineties. Fate, it seems, had other plans for this HUGELY underrated band. Their greedy manager had retained rights to their albums and the band was receiving very little money from everything they had accomplished. This forced them into a legal battle with their manager right as they were touring. Because of that, they had to cancel some of their tour dates, dates which would have created more album sales and surely more fans. Thanks to their manager, they ran out of money completely and could not record in a normal studio. So, determined to keep going, they retreated into a cabin in Georgia and came back with the release known as Disciplined Breakdown, an album inspired by their breakup with their manager. Although sales and popularity were down from the previous album, Disciplined Breakdown still managed to sell a million copies and was just as consistent as the previous release. It also produced two number one hits, Precious Declaration and Listen. Now that they had made a successful return to fame, the band decided to change their production a little. In 1999, they released Dosage, a much more polished release but still very much a rock album. Songs like Heavy, which spent 15 weeks at number one, and Run, continued to make them a radio powerhouse. With seven number one songs on the radio and a slew of top 10 songs, Collective Soul had become the most played rock band on 1990's radio. A year later, the album blender was released, which was, to say the least, a disappointment to many fans. The Dosage album had use some electronic effects into the mix, but this album was very heavy on the electronics. That being said, it was still a rock album and managed to produce a few hits. Following the release of a greatest hits album the next year, lead guitarist Ross Childress was fired from the band. No one knows exactly why, but commonly it is believed that Ross had been having an affair with lead singer Ed Roland's wife. True or not true, the issue remains very personal with the band. This split forced the band into hiatus for a while. Then, in 2004, with present guitarist Joel Kosche as the new lead guitarist, the now indie group produced the Youth album. It was a clear departure from the band's 90's rock sound and was even more pop than Blender or Dosage. The album still managed to do well and it was clear that Collective Soul was back. Three years later, the Afterwords album was released. With this CD, they showed the same style they had found on Youth and was a disappointment for many fans. It seemed that Collective Soul had become, as so many bands had, a shadow of their former selves, a once hard rocking band that had finally sold out to pop.

It is now 2009 and 15 years since the masterpiece Shine graced the radio airwaves. With this year comes the release of Collective Soul(Rabbit), Collective Soul's eighth studio release. If you are expecting to hear the same poppy songs you've heard on Youth and Afterwords, you will be in complete shock. This album is a return to the old school Collective Soul sounds. The songs are filled with catchy hooks and powerful riffs like the ones that made all of their radio staples great. This album has also returned the band to a major record label, allowing them to reach a greater audience with this spectacular release. Joel Kosche, although not completely appreciated by many, has now firmly established himself as a replacement for Ross Childress. His driving solos and strong, tight riffs bring energy to all of the songs and really make them what they are. Ed Roland's voice has never sounded better and continues to show his lyrical skills. Their new drummer, Cheney Brannon, is their best drummer yet and is clearly so when compared to all previous records. Long time bass player Will Turpin continues to provide his excellent background vocals and wonderful bass lines. Dean Roland also continues to provide the rhythm guitars and fills in the gaps during Kosche's solos effortlessly.

There is not a bad song on this release. With the opener Welcome All Again, it is clear that this is no pop record. The riff of this song will bring you back to the old days of Collective Soul and will make a new fan out of anyone. Fuzzy is an interesting tune, sounding like something David Bowie may have written back in the early 70's. The whistling in this song alone makes it a gem that will always be underrated. Dig is, in my opinion, the strongest song on the album. Its hard driving riff and rocking solo make for the best song this band has done since Heavy. Then, the record gets soft with the ballad You, a beautiful, airy tune that could have easily been on the Dosage album. The tempo picks up again with My Days, another riff driven song that reminded me a little bit like Next Homecoming from their greatest hits CD, but is much better thanks to Roland's beautiful lyrics and Kosche's improvization during the chorus. Understanding is a great song that drives hard through the first half and slows down in the second half. Kosche really shows why he is so great in this second half as he chooses his notes perfectly in a wonderful solo that last until the end of the song. Staring Down is really where Will Turpin gets to shine. His bass line in this song is so brilliant you'll be humming it more than you'll be singing the words, which, at the same time, are brilliant and deep. She Does is a faster ballad with a beautiful rhythm and is my second favorite song on the album. Lighten Up is probably the weakest song on the album. It is as driving as any of the hard rockers, but the guitar solo is much weaker and the lyrics are not exactly deep. Still, its a decent song. The next song, Love, continues the trend on this album of driving riffs and deep lyrics and is a great one to listen to on the road. The CD concludes with Hymn For My Father, a solo piece by Ed Roland playing piano. It reminded me of the song Reunion from their first self titled album. It shows Ed's respect for where he came from and shows his talent as a piano player that few of us knew he had. It is a perfect end to a flawless masterpiece.

I could not have been happier with this album. I would say that this is one of Collective Soul's finest albums and certainly their best since Dosage. They really have returned to their rock roots to produce a tight, consistent, well crafted piece of work. If you buy it, I can promise you that you will not be the least bit disappointed. They show us on this release why they were and still are such a great band. Let's bring them back into the spotlight, they've earned it here.

Okay, I'm going to get on my soapbox for one second and demand that people take a close look at perhaps the most underrated band of the past fifteen years. This latest effort comes just over fifteen years after their debut album tore up the airwaves with the smash hit "Shine." In the years that have passed since then, there have been hits (7 number one hits on the US modern rock chart including 1995's "December" and 1999's "Heavy") and not too many misses. Frontman Ed Roland has endured record label conflicts, changes within the band lineup, and a music scene that has all but abandoned alternative rock radio. But with this album, plus the recent return of Third Eye Blind, Sister Hazel, and Better Than Ezra, it might not be ignored for much longer.

The opening track, "Welcome All Again," might just be the band's best melodic hard rock track since "Shine." On "Fuzzy" the band channels their inner David Bowie (yet still manages to sound like Collective Soul). The top 20 leadoff single "Staring Down" is one of the more pop-oriented songs the band has released. But what sets "Rabbit" apart from the recent albums is it's stubborn consistency; there is not a bad track on here. The rockers are short and fast with a singalong melody (like "Dig" for example) and the ballads don't clutter and slow down the record. Even Roland's lyrics have improved, and what's more, he has allowed other band members to write a few of the songs. The end result is a band that sounds as fresh and immediate as many of the newer bands out there today. The difference is that Roland can still write catchy tunes with the best of them. For the Georgia band who always was the little engine that could, the title "Rabbit" is ever so appropriate. Collective Soul just keeps going....and going.....and going......

I have been a fan of this band for over 11 years and have all their albums. I'll be honest and say I was not very impressed by CS's last couple albums. They all had songs on them that I liked but, overall, I skipped over most of the tracks on each one. The songs weren't necessarily bad, as Ed Roland definitely has a gift for crafting a catchy tune, but they just seemed to lack energy and focus, a lot of the songs felt kind of lifeless. That's why I liked "Hollywood" on Afterwords, it may have been a bit fluffy but it was one of the few songs on that cd that I felt had a lot of energy, with a sort "It's Magic" era Cars vibe to it.

THIS album is a definite return to form. It's fun, it's upbeat and most importantly, it rocks. There are a couple ballads but even those have focus and life to them(Ed's song about his and brother Dean Roland's late father is beautiful). I have no trouble listening to every track on this one, though I think the first 3 songs and Understanding are my favorites. "Welcome All Again" is a perfect album opener, great guitar licks. "Fuzzy" is incredibly catchy, with fun lyrics and just great energy over all, though it may be one of those songs that you either love or hate, or maybe both--because it is infectious and the whistle gets stuck in your head. "Dig" just rocks out. "Understanding" just has a really interesting format, with the verse and chorus having very different tempos and once again, a lot of energy, good lyrics and very catchy.

I don't know what was going on when the album was being recorded but it just sounds Ed, Dean, Will, Joel and Cheney(who I think is new on this album?) were having a great time while making this recording. Speaking of Cheney, I don't want to knock the previous drummer Ryan but I feel Cheney's drumming sounds more powerful and that may be part of why this album seems to have more "oomph".

What a strange last 4-5 years it's been for the Georgia band Collective Soul. After departing with their label in 2001, the band went independent and started issuing new material fairly regularly, some of it quite good (2004's "Youth" album), some of it not so good (2007's "Afterwords"), and some of it simply a headscratcher (2005's "From the Ground Up"). Now finally comes the band's newest studio album.

"Collective Soul" (11 tracks; 40 min.) is indeed the second album of the band being released with that title, following their 1995 album, which still remains their best album to date. 14 years later, the band opens the album with a hard-stomping "Welcome All Again", as if to reintroduce themselves to their audience, old and new. "Fuzzy" and "Dig" round out a great 1-2-3 punch to start the album with. It is (inevitably) followed by a breather, "You", only to then immediately then dive back into the arena-sized hooks and romps such as "My Days", and "Understanding" (with its mid-song change into an even faster beat). "Staring Down" is a power-ballad CS-style. "She Does" brings more guitar-driven hooks (and would be an obvious candidate for a radio single, if there were any modern rock radio stations left that play music such as this--alas there really aren't), as do "Lighten Up" and "Love". It's remarkable that this deep into the album, so many quality tunes are packed. "Hymn For My Father" is what you might expect from the title: a quiet tribute from Ed Roland to his dad.

In all, "Collective Soul" (2009) is pretty much what "Collective Soul" (1995) was: arena-sized stompers that are oozing with irresitable hooks and melodies. In a sense, the 2009 album is quite predictable, a paint-by-the-numbers album. You can see everything coming a mile ahead, and yet you enjoy it immensely as it's happenening. I saw these guys in concert a bunch of times in the mid/late 1990s, and they alway put on a great show. Hopefully they'll come around this area again in support of this album.

I became a fan, like a lot of people hearing Shine on the radio, back in the day. I got their first two albums together. I've always liked Youth, Collective soul95, and Disciplined Breakdown the most out of their albums. Signs hints, and Doseage, were both good, and both contained several classic CS songs, in my opinion not all were singles, and Blender and Afterwords just didn't do anything for me. They had some good songs, but I think I only liked 4 songs on each of those albums. After Afterwords, I wasen't really expecting much from these guys. I thought they were done for.

Although I don't like this one as much as Youth or their first 4, this is still a solid album. My only real complaint is that they seem to have a lot of songs that sound alike. I don't remember them doing that in their heydays. They do try some different things, musically. I just wished they'd tried something new in terms of song structures, and vocal style. Just to give us soemthing new. Still there's not a bad song on here, and that can be hard to find in this day and age. Unfortunately most of the songs are just ok, with a couple good or great ones thrown in there. There are definately more rockers on this one.

Welcome All Again - 9/10 - This is easily in my top 5 CS songs to come out this decade. Easily my favorite song on the album. It's an up-tempo rocker, the chorus isn't anything elaberate, but it's servicible. This song has a lot of what they've been missing this decade. There's just an energy in the vocals and the music, I can't explain, but I love it.

Fuzzy - 6/10 - This is actually another of my favorites and would get an 8 if it weren't for that annoying whistling. I like the different sound of the guitars. There are catchy vocals. The lyrics don't make sense to me, but whatever. I just wish I could remove the whistling, which serves no purpose. I'd be willing to overlook it, if it weren't so far up in the mix. I was listening to it on my ipod, and it sounded like someone next to me was whistling. Very annoying, and hurts an otherwise good song.

Dig - 7/10 - Another up-tempo rocker. It's a good one. I like the mood of the song, very up beat. Otherwise there's not really anything special about it.

You - 7/10 - The first ballad on the album. It kind of makes me think of their last album, but since it's on a better album I like it more. I don't really have anything special to note about this one.

My Days - 7/10 - This one's a mid-tempo rocker. This one's ok, but it never really jumps out at me.

Understanding - 8/10 - This one feels like two or three different songs thrown together. The abrupt change threw me off the first time I heard it. The verses are mid tempo melodic rock, then the chorus is fast paced, and definately rocks out. This is the most experimental I've heard CS in a log time. I love the faster part the most, but I think they could have build decent songs out of both. This has grown on me a lot more, and has become a highlight for me. The second half is way slowed down. It's a pretty strange way to pace a song, but since I've gotten use to it, I'm ok with it now.

Staring Down - 8/10 - This one's a slightly up-tempo softer song. There's some piano in it. I like the vocals in the chorus, and the piano in the verses. I think it's an overall good song.

She Does - 8/10 - This is another softer song. It's also up-tempo though. I like the chorus a lot. I wish they'd put a rocker in between this song and the previous one.

Lighten Up - 8/10 - A slight up-tempo rocker. It's not really heavy. The guitar in the verses kind of reminds me of AC/DC a little, especially Sin City. There's not a whole lot special about this one either, but I like it.

Love - 8/10 - Whenever I hear the first notes of this one I think of the song Starlight, by Muse. I don't know why. This is a mid-tempo rocker. It's one of the better songs on here.

The last song I won't coment on. It's a piano and vocal only song, which isn't really my thing. It's alright I guess, but I don't listen to it.


Overall it's a decent release, which should please most fans. They pretty much stick to what works, but manage to try a couple of new things. If you're a fan, you should definately check it out.

I will also add that it was one of the more enjoyable albums of 09.

Collective Soul certainly delivers what they promised- an album that is mostly all rock, start to finish. Even nicer, it is never repetitive or boring, thanks mainly to Ed Roland's songwriting talent and his gift for catchy melodicism. It speaks volumes for this effort that the weakest track, 'Staring Down,' is pretty catchy itself and was released as the first single.
'Welcome All Again,' 'My Days,' and 'Love' are the standout tracks for me, but all of the others have something to recommend them.
The only thing working against the band's second self-titled work is the passage of time and what they've produced before. No matter how good they are, the songs are bound to remind one of earlier CS tunes and it's practically impossible to duplicate the sense of wonder associated with hearing those classic songs the first time around. Still, a very fine effort from an underrated band... something to cheer about in today's music scene.

Well... where to start, best album since Dosage! I thought we were losing some ground with Afterwords which only had 5 really good songs or so. But this album totally rocks! Welcome All Again is a great start to the album, Hymn for my Father is a great finisher! Staring Down and Love great songs, but one track is standing out so much to me, "You" simple yet powerful lyrics, it's not just Ed Roland, it's the band carrying the song to great heights. A must have for a Collective Soul fan, and honestly because of "You" I'd say any music lover!

O.K., I'll be honest....Collective Soul's latest was THIS close to getting a three star rating from me. Two years ago, when I did my review for AFTERWORDS, I said I was going to be generous and round up a three and a half star album to a four. However, the next release was going to have to "WOW!" me, because I wouldn't be so generous again!
Sadly, COLLECTIVE SOUL did NOT wow me. Besides the rehashed album title, we also have many of the same power chord guitar riffs, quirky vocal stylings and tags and oblique lyrics....in other words, not much that's new.
So why a four star rating instead of a three? Because even when it's unoriginal or nothing new, Collective Soul's material gets under your skin. It can be catchy, it can be fun, it can just grow on you! Basically, you just have a good time listening to it, and isn't that what music (at it's best) is all about?
Things open stongly, albeit unoriginally, with "Welcome All Again." With it's distorted spoken opening, blistering guitars and fuzzy "Yeah"'s (how long are they going to use this fun, but tired, vocal trick?), "Welcome All Again" is an enjoyable enough album opener, but there's a calculated vibe to it, as if it was written as much for future commercial use as for this album (ABC has indeed been using it to promote "The Mentalist").
The disc's high point comes early, via the giddy "Fuzzy." This is the only cut on the disc that made me sit up and go "Yeah!!" upon my first listen, the way numerous tracks on, say, DOSAGE and YOUTH did. Who would ever think whistling would work in a rock song?? Well, it does here! Ed Roland's lead vocal is sly and sexy (LOVE the "O.K., oh, no, so let's go!"), while the arrangement is propulsive and crisp. Brilliant!
I also really like "Dig." Anchored by Cheney Brannon's rock solid drumming, the track just charges along, with Joel Kosche's lead guitar just blowing the roof off things! I particularly love the "We say we're up/Then we say we're down" bridge....TOTALLY infectious! A perfect example of my earlier comment...we've heard this before from Collective Soul, but it's still fun!
"You" is a gorgeous mid-tempo love song that just flows out of the speakers. Roland's lead vocal is honest and understated, while the arrangement is minimal and unadorned, yet equally full-bodied. Toss in strong lyrics ("Time I always need more time/To figure what I've lost/To learn what I should find") and you have one of COLLECTIVE SOUL's top tracks.
The same can't be said for "My Days." This generic, faceless rocker just plods along, hampered by an arrangement that fights itself. There always seems to be a track like this on every Collective Soul album....a song that's supposed to be a "rocker", but instead is just noisy and unimaginative. A definite low point.
Things rebound 180 degrees with the engaging (and schyzo!) "Understanding." In just this one track you have elements of '70's glam, '80's power punk and '90's grunge, all mixed in with some classic balladry....and it works! Ed Roland's vocals are a marvel, all dexterous and agile, while the backing vocals and instrumentation are spot-on. A cut that could have been a hot mess, "Understanding" is just plain hot! Another gem!
"Staring Down" chugs along at in intoxicating gait, buoyed by Will Turpin's stunning bass lines (More and more, I'm thinking this guy can do no wrong....he is certainly Collective Soul's M.V.P.!) Toss in a smooth lead vocal from Roland, clever percussive twists that both add and enhance and piano fills that are JUST right, and you have a song that's the complete package. Why this track wasn't a bigger hit is beyond me....it offers everything a great single should have.
Maybe "She Does" will succeed where "Staring Down" (semi) failed...it certainly deserves to be a hit! Picture '80's power pop, all grown up! The arrangement is solid, but smart, the instrumentation sharp. Roland's lead vocal is assured, while the lyrics are honest and to the point ("Who could give me cause/To speak or believe in love"). A definite COLLECTIVE SOUL high light!
"Lighten Up?" Ummmm.....not so much. The music is stale and formulistic, as is Ed Roland's lead vocal. Add in lyrics to the mix that are just plain silly and you have an absolute dud. There is such an element of posing here that it's almost painful! Collective Soul should not be making major missteps like this one this far into their career; "Lighten Up" is a prime example of why a (stronger) outside producer might be a good idea for the band's next release.
"Love" is also certainly nothing new ~ we've heard this song on EVERY Collective Soul album! ~ but it's still a fun, catchy number that plants itself in your head and stays there.Brannon's tight backbeat once again steals the spotlight (make this guy an official member!!), but the whole cut shines. Nothing awe-inspiring or new, but fun none the less.
Things wrap up with the gorgeous piano ballad "Hymn To My Father." Roland's vocal is delicate and earnest, but it's the lyrics that really hit home. Is this an ode to a beloved parent? Or a paean to the Almighty? Whatever the answer, it works....this song ends the disc on a quiet, introspective, albeit lovely, note.
So, yes, I enjoyed this album...enough to recind my earlier vow and upgrade a 3.5 to 4, versus downgrading to a 3. But I still feel Collective Soul is in a holding pattern, and that COLLECTIVE SOUL is solid proof of that. Here's to shaking things up, to trying something new on the next release. Here's to more "WOW! moments. (As with all my reviews, I'm giving the disc an extra half a star for including the lyrics).

At first this album was a little hit and miss for me. After listening to it for a few days it has really grown on me. Welcome All Again is a fantastic song, hard hitting and catchy. Fuzzy was a pretty big miss for me the first few times through, but has quickly become one of my favorites. I'd have to say that overall the album has very solid guitars. Musically it brings you back toward the grungier days of Collective Soul. I find this to be a very solid album.

This is what you what you get when you purchase a Collective Soul album. Big hooks and big riffs by a band who's done it for a long time and they haven't done this well in a long time. Right from the fantastic "Welcome All Again" to "Dig" which the band played well before this cd was released and the slow to fast "Understanding", this is a cd that will not disappoint.