Counting Crows is enjoying a well-deserved strong showing in Montauk Madness, nice to see for a band that has been wrongly dismissed for years by critics and music fans alike.
I feel like it’s time Counting Crows were considered cool again. Recently Adam Duritz (a Golder Warriors fan) joined the team at a San Francisco nightclub to celebrate their victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Maybe a little NBA mojo is what he needs. Continue reading
It’s Week Two of Round Two of Montauk Madness, and we start with a showdown between Counting Crows and David Bowie.
Counting Crows advanced following a unanimous decision over Morrissey in Round One, while David Bowie faced stronger competition in U2 but still won easily with 82% of the vote. Continue reading
Entering our third week of Montauk Madness, ten first round mathcups have been posted with 22 to go. I’ll leave all of the polls open for the duration of this round to pick up any stragglers. All of the Round One matchups can be accessed here.
The seeding in this tournament was determined randomly, and it’s fun to see the interesting pairings that result. Today’s battle, for example, is a showdown between depressed whiners Adam Duritz and Morrissey — specifically Counting Crows vs. Morrissey’s work as a solo artist.
If Recovering the Satellites was a slight misstep, Counting Crows’ third album (1999’s This Desert Life) was a powerful return to form. The album marked an evolution for the band, particularly musically… there’s a richness and depth in these songs that stands out even compared to their great early work.
Kicking off with the feel-good party anthem ‘Hanginaround,’ This Desert Life makes quite the first impression. I’ve noticed that kids tend to like ‘Hanginaround’ (at least kids in my family) and I think that speaks well of its construction.
One of the things that irks me to no end is the utter lack of respect shown to Counting Crows over the years by both critics and music fans. Sure, they have their ardent fans, but so do all bands. Somewhere out there is a well-visited Right Said Fred fan site.
But for Counting Crows to be lumped in with the Hootie and the Blowfish(es) of the world is just criminal. This band has put out five stellar albums… albums full of literate, challenging music. Their songs are smart, funny and emotional. Yes, they’ve cribbed from Van Morrisson, The Band and R.E.M. over the years, but if you’re gonna steal, steal from the best.
Meet Me In Montauk 