Counting Crows’ second album
trades angst for upbeat sound
By Cuff Hicks
Music Critic
All good things to those who wait,
the saying goes; this time, it’s the truth.
Counting Crows have just released
their new album, “Recovering the Sat
ellites,” their first in 3 1/2 years and
it’s about time.
In February 1993, the band released
their debut album, “August and Every
thing After,” a blend of acoustic gui
tars, swooning organs and depressing
lyrics.
It was one of those albums that was
perfect for its time. Its success, mainly
based on the optimistic single “Mr.
Jones,” could almost be seen as pro
phetic of the later success of the “quiet
rock” band, Hootie & The Blowfish.
The only piece of work between
“August” and “Recovering” was a song
called “For An Eggman (Einstein on a
Beach)” which appeared on “DGC
Rarities, Vol 1.” The interesting thing
about the track was that it was recorded
on an answering machine. In the liner
notes, lead singer Adam Duritz said it
didn’t go on “August” because it was
too “happy.” This new, upbeat outlook
showed where the band was going and,
in fact, where they are now.
“Recovering the Satellites” is more
Uplifting. While “August” was full of
sorrowful, pessimistic lyrics, “Recov
ering” jumps right out with bravado
rather than blues — not perfectly
happy, but alive. . . ... .
It’s this rising up that makes “Re
covering” a great follow-up to “Au
gust.” “August” was the kind of album
to listen to at the end of a relationship.
The kind of introspective, moody back
ground music that frames the self-sym
pathetic state of mind perfectly. “Re
covering,” is more about its namesake
— getting up off the ground and get
ting on with life.
“Recovering” takes awhile to get
'
Counting
Crows
“Recovering
the Satellites”
DGC Records
Grade: B+
useu 10.11 s naru 10 iainy juage u tne
first time around. The brain says, “This
is Counting Crows?!” After that stage
is passed, though, the actual music
starts to sink in.
Still solid with their Dylanesque
blues-rock style, the Crows haven’t lost
any of their musical workmanship
which made “August” into the fine
piece of work that it was.
Pianos, used extensively through
out “August,” helped the Crows stand
out among the vast array of bands on
the scene today who try to capture the
listeners. Against the numerous elec
tric guitars wailing, a soft piano plays,
and when the guitars fade, the piano
(continues.
On “August” the piano didn’t give
the guitars an inch. “Recovering” lets
the guitars step forward and the piano
moves back a little.
The title track is also one of the
album’s best. The lyrics blend well with
the music and the broken-hearts theme
is one the Crows know well.
“Goodnight Elizabeth” is by far the
album s best song, with an acoustic
guitar, slower tempo and Duritz’s
crooning voice. It stands out like the
brightest diamond at a jewelry shop.
Lyrically, Duritz keeps churning (Hit
intelligent songs with well-thought out
verses about the things that make up
everyday life: love, loss, motivation,
time and hope.
Themes of grayness and rain still
factor into several of these songs, with
references to Duritz retaining his po
sition as the “Rain King” (a song off
“August”). The rain is starting to let
up and the gray sky is starting to clear,
the album says. Wemay even seesun*
light on the next release.
In comparison to “August and Ev
erything After,” which captured late
fall and early winter, “Recovering” is
an album which reflects the end of win
ter and just the first few hints of spring.
The track “Miller’s Angels,” there
fore, sticks out like a penguin among
Please see CROWS on 10
:_
Psycho siren
Corey Rourke/DN
ANNIE DANIELEWSKI was only 10 years old when she went
to a costume party dressed as “The Masque of Red Death,” but
the name of the author of that story, Ppe, has stayed
a moniker and stage name well After finishing
her tour as Seven Mary Three’s opening band less than six months
ago, Poe is beginning to make a name for herself. She is no longer
the opener, but the headliner, even if it’s only for small shows
like Monday’s performance at The Ranch Bowl in Omaha. Poe is
currently on a private tour, sweeping across the country from
Los Angeles to her hometown of New York City. Her show, which
includes an electric cellist and a lengthy stint of singing through
a megaphone, will return through the Midwest, with a possible
stop in Lincoln as early as January.
y \ im Meshuno/DN
Y ' • .
Madonna enters motherhood,
welcomes healthy baby girl
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Madonna’s a
mama.
The 38-year-old pop diva and actress gave
birth Monday to a healthy 6-pound, 9-ounce girl,
Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon.
Madonna, baby and daddy Carlos Leon were
resting comfortably, spokeswoman Liz
Rosenberg said. It is the first child for Madonna
Louise Veronica Ciccone. The 30-year-old fa
ther is her personal trainer and boyfriend.
The girl was bom at 4:01 p.m. at Good Sa
maritan Hospital, Rosenberg said. She and hos
pital officials declined to release other details
of the birth, including whether it was a natural
birth or a Caesarean section delivery. .
Dr. Paul Fleiss, father of Hollywood madam
Heidi Fleiss, told TV crews as he left the hospi
tal that he was the baby’s pediatrician.
Fans all over the world celebrated the news
of the baby. MTV ran a series of Madonna vid
eos along with congratulatory messages from
fans on the bottom of the screen.
The New York Daily News reported earlier
this month that Madonna wanted a natural child
birth, took birthing classes, considered having
the baby at home and planned to breast-feed the
girl.
Gossip columnists had also said she would
name her baby “Lola.” Instead, she settled on
Lourdes. It is the name of a French city where
millions seek healing each yea* at a shrine to
the Virgin Mary. Maria is Leon’s mother’s name.
TV camera crews, reporters and tabloid pho
tographers continued to stake out the hospital
entrance Tuesday, but it was unclear whether the
maternal girt was even there.
U
I was stunned when I
saw on the ultrasound
a tiny, living creature
spinning around in my
womb...I could have
sworn I heard it laugh
ing”
Excerpt from Madonna’s diary
Months before announcing her pregnancy,
Madonna told ABC’s “Primetime Live” she
planned to take out a personal ad to find a suit
able candidate few “the fatherhood gig.”
Leon got the job but Madonna did not use
him as a “stud service,” she says in November’s
•Vanity Fair, which published excerpts of a diyy
she kept while filming “Evita” in Argentina.
Madonna says she didn’t get pregnant for
“shock value,” and in one entry describes first
seeing her fetus during an ultrasound test:
“I was stunned when I saw on the ultrasound
a tiny, living creature spinning around in my
Hease see BABY on 10
■ / ' '
