Customer Reviews

Films About Ghosts

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

It now amazes me how incomplete any "best of" can be when it comes to this band. Every one of these songs is great, that I do not argue, but it just does not feel like it is whole. This could easily be two disks, or even more. It does have fair representation of the studio albums, but there is so much more that the Crows have to offer.

One thing I found surprising about this CD was the fact that "Einstein on the Beach" was included after years of lead singer, Adam Duritz regretting ever having given it to Geffen Records. It is a great song and I would love to hear it played live after having heard it for the better part of a decade on the DGC Rarities Vol. 1 record.(to my knowledg there never was a Vol. 2)

There are two new recordings found on "Films About Ghosts." I rather enjoy the cover of The Greatful Dead's "Friend of the Devil." Honestly, I think the Crows did a better job on the song. "She Don't Want Nobody Near" is the second new recording on the album. It is an original song and has now been released as a single. Of the two, I prefer "Friend of the Devil," but "She Don't Want Nobody Near" is very good.

All of the hits are here; "Mr. Jones," "Round Here," and "A Long December" to mention a few. I do enjoy hearing these songs, but I think they are better in the context of their respective records. As a collection of songs it is great, as a "greatest hits" it is good, but I think it perhaps falls short in the category of "best of." Taking these songs from the context of the album does not do them justice.

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Maybe you are like me who, after "August and Everything After" and "Recovering the Sattelites", have fallen off the Counting Crows' band-wagon as a result of the less than great (if not to say mediocre) albums "The Desert Life" and "Hard Candy". Well, our problems have been solved by this "greatest hits" album.

"Films About Ghosts: The Best Of Counting Crows" (16 tracks, 72 min.) pretty much delivers on the premise, which is to say: all the hits and best known tracks are here. Rightfully, this compilation centers on the first album: 5 tracks from "August and Everything After", including the essential "Mr. Jones" (the song that put the band on the musical map), "Round Here", the exquisite "Rain King", "Omaha" and "Anna Begins". "Recovering the Sattelites" is represented by 3 tracks, including the haunting "A Long December", the hard-rocking "Angels of the Silences" and the title track. The later years have some good songs, including the jamming "Hanginaround", and even the cover of "Big Yellow Taxi", an unexpected radio hit. But the true treasure on this compilation is "Einstein on the Beach", which appears for the first time on a Counting Crows release. "Einstein" is a 1991 "demo" (but not sounding like a demo), which lead the band to getting a record deal, and is arguably Counting Crows' best song ever. Adam Duritz never sounded so upbeat again.

Is this compilation perfect? No. For one, I like "best of" compilations to run chronogically, and this one doesn't. But that quibble aside, "Films About Ghosts" is a really great overview of Counting Crows' best songs to date.

For those few that have held off buying previous Crows' albums, this would be a perfect introduction. It contains five songs from the amazing debut, three from "Recovering the Satellites", two from "This Desert Life" (which was fine with me because those two would've been my only choices as well), three from "Hard Candy" and three "new" recordings (one's a new cover tune, and one was available on a previous Geffen compilation).

The best part of this CD is that it starts off strong with "Angels of the Silences" and "Round Here", two different styles and moods, but two of my favorites. The rest of the collection is pretty solid except for two minor details: they included "Big Yellow Taxi", which has been covered way too often in my opinion, and left out what I feel to be their best song, "A Murder of One". If they had included it, I would have rated this five stars, easily.

At least there's a new song on here, which is pretty catchy and somewhat reminiscent of "Mr. Jones".

Definitely worth picking up, for yourself or to introduce to someone as a gift. If you already own all of their cd's, you might think about skipping it, just picking up the new song on a single.

This is an amazing group of songs by the Counting Crows. Some are better than others and a few of their best seem to be forgotten but you can't expect perfection I guess...this is close though.
1. Angels of the Silences - 8/10 - a great song but just doesn't compare to many of the other songs on the cd. A good start to the cd though.
2. Round Here - 9/10 - a classic...on any other cd this would automatically get a 10 but on this cd, there are too many great songs to give 10s out easily. Such a mellow song. One of the best songs to listen to when your pissed or sad and don't feel like changing that.
3. Rain King - 8/10 - I didn't know this song when I got the cd but quickly grew to love it. Great song to follow up Round Here.
4. A Long December - 10/10 - I thought about giving this a 9 just because I have heard it so many times and when you hear something that many times, the song usually gets old...but this is an exception for me. I never get tired of this song. Incredible music with amazing lyrics written about the lead singer's own experiences one winter when a friend was sick in the hospital and eventually died. So passionate and meaningful...In my opinion, one of the best songs ever written.
5. Hanginaround - 9/10 - Such a fun and upbeat song. The chorus is a little repetitive and simple but that is part of the fun and you can get enough enjoyment from the music and verses to compensate for the repitition. One of the only songs ever to use clapping as the beat and actually make it work. Awesome display of COunting Crows versatility.
6. Mrs. Potter's Lullaby - 8/10 - Great song with great lyrics and music including the lyric for which the cd was named after. Another upbeat song that most people haven't heard if they don't own a cd of theirs since the song is so long (over 7 minutes). Supposedly written about Monica Potter after the lead singer saw her in Patch Adams.
7. Mr. Jones - 10/10 - I love this song...Another song I have heard 50 million times and still love it. Also, once again this actually was written about a friend of the lead singer and the bar they hung out at. Awesome lyrics about the misconception that big stars who everyone loves never get lonely.
8. Recovering the Satellites - 9/10 - The music is sort of mellow and not as impactful as normal for Counting Crows but based on lyrics and meaning, it deserves a 9. This is the only song which there is a swear word and it is perfectly executed. "God, we're so f*#$ed up, you and me"
9. American Girls - 8/10 - Very fun song but not much more deep meaning to this one...very good background vocals by sheryl crow
10. Big Yellow Taxi - 8/10 - Great remake of this song. Good point and meaning behind this song...a little repetitive for my taste though.
11. Omaha - 9/10 - This song has an amazing chorus...Too bad the verses aren't quite as impressive or it would get a 10. The chorus will definitely get stuck in your head though...great stuff even though Im not from Omaha.
12. Friend of the Devil - 2/10 - This is the only song on the CD that I skip everytime that I listen to it. The music sucks and so do the lyrics...The counting crows do a great job trying to make this a decent song but even Adam's awesome voice and the rest of the bands playing can't save this song from sucking...horrible new recording that could have been used for a better classic song like Colorblind.
13. Einstein on the Beach - 8/10 - The most upbeat song on the cd and definitely livens things up...Doesn't rival hangin around for best fun song but does come close. Very weird lyrics but the music is kinda weird too...in a good way.
14. Anna Begins - 10/10 - Incredibly amazing song... The lyrics for this song are impeccable and the music progressively grows stronger and stronger as it matches the words which progress through a "story" as the song goes.
15. Holiday in Spain - 12/10 - I had never heard this song before I bought this cd and immediately loved this song after the first listen. The music is unbelievable and the lyrics and singing of Adam are amazing as well. It's very hard for me not to start the cd off with this song everytime and put it on repeat after hearing it the first time. Echos the thoughts that everyone has had at one point of just dropping all current stresses and problems and just getting away from it all....simply amazing!
16. She don't want nobody near - 8/10 - Beautiful song...plain and simple...Don't love the music quite as much as other songs but still a good new recording that is a nice addition
17. Accidentally in Love - 9/10 - Very fun and upbeat song...Appears in the movie Shrek. The music video for this song is great if you haven't seen it. This is an awesome way to end and almost perfect cd (stupid Friend of the Devil song) :).

Films About Ghosts by Counting Crows is my favorite album as of right now. Every song on the album brings different emotions to mind. Whether you're in a bad mood, upset mood, or happy mood there will always be a good song to listen to on this particular CD. My all-time favorite song is on this album, "A Long December", whatever mood you're in, you can always grasp a reflective feeling on your life and just chill. This album is incredibly versatile, ranging from up tempo beats and melodies to slow emotional melodies.
There is no doubt in my mind that everyone who enjoys this type of music will be lip syncing the lyrics or just plain singing the songs. "Mr. Jones" will make anyone want to dance or sing with its contagious instrument and vocal sounds. If you just burn CD's from music files on your computer, I recommend the purchase of this album because I believe it to be a possible collector's item.

Counting Crows seem to have a good niche: a fair amount of airplay spread out over all of their albums, concerts of comfortable size (not bars, but not arenas either), and a solid fanbase. This best-of album is an excellent journey through their catalogue, plus two new songs that are deserving of their place here.

If you don't have any of their albums (or only have one or two), this album gives a broad view of their work. It includes radio hits such as 'Big Yellow Taxi' and 'Mr Jones', as well as fan favourites like 'Anna Begins' and 'Einstein on the Beach' that got limited airplay. All of the songs that were chosen for the album deserve to be highlighted on this compilation. It's not their greatest hits, and I for one am glad that it's not: I can hear their greatest hits on the radio any time. But the haunting 'Anna Begins' or the rousing eight minutes of 'Mrs Potter's Lullabye' are well worth getting to know.

For someone who is already familiar with much of their work, this album is still worthwhile. Their new cover of 'Friend of the Devil' (one of the definitive Grateful Dead songs) is arresting. 'Einstein on a Beach' had previously been somewhat difficult to find. 'She Don't Want Nobody' is a haunting track that somewhat reminds me of 'Anna Begins', although I can't really put my finger on why.

My only complaint about this album is the inclusion of the single version of 'Big Yellow Taxi'. The original version, found on the album 'Hard Candy', does not include the backing vocals from then flavour-of-the-month Vanessa Carleton. I think that her backing vocals detract from this cover. I vastly prefer the album version. This complaint isn't enough to make me take away the fifth star, although it's a close call.

This is NOT a Greatest Hits CD, it's a Best Of. This is key. The band felt that some songs weren't big radio hits but were their best work. I agree. Many fans like the lesser-known songs never mentioned anywhere near the mainstream much better than the well-known ones. Fans on the website seem to think that the more popular a Crow's song is, the less of a good song it is. This holds true in one ccase. Big Yellow Taxi was a decent song, but the version with Vanessa was horrendous in the aspect that it was clearly done only to enhance radio play, which it did.
Crow's fans are taken with the personalness(is that a word?) of the songs. They mean something different to everyone who hears them. This is a great attribute to Crow songs. I'm only a recent fan, having discovered the Crows when Hard Candy was released. Since then I've done everything I can to know everything about them. I'm a frequent poster on the website, and I have a collection of over 100 counting Crow songs. I love everyone of them. This band doesn't have a few good songs and some junk. Everything is awesome.
On to the new album. Everyone will want some songs on it that aren't. It happens. Personally, I agree with Adam that Amy Hit the Atmosphere should be on it, as well as Murder of One. Goodnight Elizabeth could easily take the place of Recovering the Satellites, not up to par with other Crow songs. The 2 new songs are wonderful, with the cover of Friend of the Devil being amazing and the new single and original track, She Don't Want Nobody near lending a catchy hook and a knack for growing on you as time goes on.
Pirating and what is considered mainstream has hurt the Crows, but as all great bands do, they have fans who stick by them and support them n matter what. Any rock band that can make it through the mouseketeer era must have something going for them. The title of this compilation, Films About Ghosts, is from a clever lyric in Mrs. Potter's Lullabye, a great marathon-long 8 minute song that never lets down throughout the duration.
Unlike other bands, the Crows aren't afraid to employ a large number of people. The 8-piece band features true musicians, who can play a wide variety of instruments. Adam's mellow yet uplifting lyrics are the driving force behind the band, but the music itself is so good the instrumentals in the songs are not mere ways to chew up time. The members are very recognizable and Adam himself seems to be everywhere, or at least anywhere Cal is. The 39 year-old graduate is an extremely devoted Cal Bears fan. He was at the Golden Bears bowl game and was interviewed on ESPN from the sideline, where he was hanging out and joknig with the players, who were on their way to a 52-49 victory. He is so respected by the team that he was the one to give the pre-game talk before the USC game. As he told ESPN announcers, "I just told them to go kick ass" And for you football fans, you know that kick ass is what they did. Sorry, I'm diverging al ittle from the new CD to talk about the Crows in general. Forgive a devoted fan.
Crow songs have a way of becoming timeless, to fans and to the band. They still sing their breakthrough hit "MR. Jones" with as much energy as they did 10 years ago. Fans listen to the records over and over again, even years after they were released. The songs don't get old and there are always new songs to fall in love with, as every song on the albums hides its own special meaning. As strange as it sounds, fans recount times in their lives where the music helped them cope with their problems. They are reduced to tears by the emotional music when they remember their feelings of years ago.
Counting Crow concerts are special in themselves. Instead of playing the same overheard version of a song, they often do it with different instruments or acoustically. Adam is famous for changing the lyrics to his songs. The unfamiliar words nevertheless flow perfectly. Adam has a way of connecting with the audience, taking such delight in the music that one can't help but be moved. These elements make a concert a unique and wonderful experience, and leave fans salivating for more.
In summation, the only real way to get the "Best OF" Counting Crows is to buy the albums, as no song on the albums is anything less than what is on Films. This album is a must-buy for the new or casual fan as well, as its sure to entice you to buy the other albums.

Considering the band has a trajectory of more than 10 years and five official albums in their pocket, you can expect plenty of this album, and it will not disappoint. With a title extracted directly from the lyrics of one of their most memorable songs (from Mrs. Potter's Lullaby `if dreams are like movies, then memories are films about ghosts...'), this album includes 14 tracks very well selected from their discography, a cover of `Friend of the devil' and a demo recorded before their first studio album. `Einstein on the beach'. A special edition of the album was released after they were nominated for the Oscar for the song `Accidentally in love', which is basically the same album plus the nominated song.

This greatest hits album presents the highlights of each of their studio works (nothing included from `Live across the wire'). The popular `Hangin around' with its feel good lyrics, their first hit `Mr Jones', the commercial `American girls' (whether we like the commercial idea behind it or not it is a great song), and most importantly, the all time favorite and melancholic `Round here'.

This is a great opportunity to listen to them if you have never heard the band before, and if you haven't heard their whole discography I can almost assure you will buy it all after listening to this disc.

The design is quite simple but very interesting and adds a nice melancholic touch to the CD, the booklet has a brief story of the band and the complete lyrics for all the songs, including stories from some of them (they even mention the disappointment of their fans when they heard `American girls' announcing Coke). If you don't have the pleasure of owning their discography yet, this is a good reason to start collecting it. An excellent selection of songs makes of this album a good resume of their history, and a perfect introduction for newcomers.

Films About Ghosts is a fantastic album. This compilation of the "best of" Counting Crows is the best album in my music collection. It begins with the perennial favorite, "Angels of the Silences" and pounds into a heart-wrenching remix of "Round Here." The order of the selections is perfectly coordinated to manipulate the listener's mood. The heavier tunes blend seamlessly into emotionally powerful ballads. This deliberate effect strengthens the connection between listener and artist.

The only mar on an otherwise perfect collection is the obvious absence of "Murder of One. However, the album does include two brand new recordings by the talented band and an additional older tune that never appeared on previous albums. The popular, "Einstein on the Beach" had a good run of radio airplay, but was only available through an exhausting internet search for an acceptable copy. Certainly, the album is worth the money for this tune alone.

New listeners of Counting Crows will find this album to be a solid and moving introduction to the stylings of the lead singer, Adam Duritz, and the rest of the remarkably versatile band.

I am not the biggest fan of Counting Crows, feeling that the two albums after "Recovering The Satellites" were inconsistent at best and never added them to my collection. I also dumped the live album into a used store bin soon after I'd bought it. But for "August and Everything After," Adam Duritz and company struck a chord in the year that Nirvana was king of the world (and Kurt closed the window on that chapter at roughly the same time), and radio was being ruled by the likes of Whitney Houston and Toni Braxton. It didn't hurt that Counting Crows were making music that echoed the best of Van Morrison or Bob Dylan. Another plus was having a producer like T-Bone Burnett, who understood the traditional intimacy of the Crow's sound. He helped make "August" sound like a bridge between the rage of grunge and the introspection of R.E.M.'s then hugely successful "Automatic For The People."

Like the Autumnal tree that graces the cover of "Films About Ghosts," the best work of Counting Crows gives one the feeling that some sort of somber change is always lurking nearby, often with a chill to accompany it. Think of how "A Long December" resonates long after the song ends. Same with "Mrs. Potter's Lullaby," which was the best song on "This Desert Life." Again, the comparison to Van Morrison is an apt one as Adam exorcises a certain amount of pain during his best songs.

This has often led to a criticism of the Crows in that a lot of their music sounded "whiny." That argument is easily dispelled by "American Girls," "Angels Of The Silences" or the statement of band unity, "Hanginaround." Each of these songs are concert pleasers and show the Crow's more playful side, something each album had for those that waited for the simple pleasures of a buoyant rock song.

The new songs here are worth having as well. "She Don't Want Nobody Near" is a close cousin to "Anna Begins," maybe to the point that you wonder if it's the same woman ten years later. Choosing San Francisco legends The Grateful Dead as their second source for a cover is a clear nod to the Crow's Bay Area roots, and they pull off "Friend Of The Devil" with flair. By maintaining a continually assured quality of musicianship and a sort of insider's effacing sense of self, Counting Crows may not have maintained the levels of success that the six-million selling "August and Everything After" dropped into their lap on the first try, but "Films About Ghosts" also proves that they have nothing to be embarrassed by. At 72 minutes and no duds in the bunch, it's as strong a collection of folk influenced popular music that one could hope for from the nineties.