Thursday, January 15, 2004
January 15: Collective Soul - 7even Year Itch: Greatest Hits 1994-2001
What in the world ever happened to Collective Soul?
They weren't ever my favorite band, but I liked several of their songs, and a couple of their later albums were really good. Last I heard from them, they had a huge hit in fall 2000 with "Why Part 2" (anybody else remember them opening for Damon Wayans at Orange Peel that year?), then put out this greatest-hits album the next year, and that's been it. If you go to their website, it was last updated in summer 2002 with an announcement that the band was almost done with their new album. Well, it's spring 2004, what gives?
Maybe it's this: listening to this album again after a couple years (and with the Strokes, White Stripes, and Vines in the meantime), I was struck with just how clinical and sterile all these songs were. I mean, they were polished to infinity, and every note is in exactly the right place. And you can tell towards the end that there was a definite formula going: listen to "Precious Declaration," "Heavy," and "Why Part 2" in a row... it's like looking at 1998, 1999 and 2000 Mercury Sables or something. Collective Soul was definitely a studio band (the few times I saw them live proved that as well). Maybe Ed Roland realized his well-manicured band wouldn't look too good in an age of loose, shaggy garage rock and gave up the ghost. Maybe they're in hiding like Bon Jovi was in 1993, and they'll be back in four or five years when we start to remember them fondly.
Come back soon, Collective Soul, and bring Sponge with you. Or maybe not. Your choice.
They weren't ever my favorite band, but I liked several of their songs, and a couple of their later albums were really good. Last I heard from them, they had a huge hit in fall 2000 with "Why Part 2" (anybody else remember them opening for Damon Wayans at Orange Peel that year?), then put out this greatest-hits album the next year, and that's been it. If you go to their website, it was last updated in summer 2002 with an announcement that the band was almost done with their new album. Well, it's spring 2004, what gives?
Maybe it's this: listening to this album again after a couple years (and with the Strokes, White Stripes, and Vines in the meantime), I was struck with just how clinical and sterile all these songs were. I mean, they were polished to infinity, and every note is in exactly the right place. And you can tell towards the end that there was a definite formula going: listen to "Precious Declaration," "Heavy," and "Why Part 2" in a row... it's like looking at 1998, 1999 and 2000 Mercury Sables or something. Collective Soul was definitely a studio band (the few times I saw them live proved that as well). Maybe Ed Roland realized his well-manicured band wouldn't look too good in an age of loose, shaggy garage rock and gave up the ghost. Maybe they're in hiding like Bon Jovi was in 1993, and they'll be back in four or five years when we start to remember them fondly.
Come back soon, Collective Soul, and bring Sponge with you. Or maybe not. Your choice.
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