Collective Soul - “Collective Soul”
Tracks:
- Simple
- Untitled
- The World I Know
- Smashing Young Man
- December
- Where the River Flows
- Gel
- She Gathers Rain
- When the Water Falls
- Collection of Goods
- Bleed
- Reunion
This is the band’s second album, from 1994, but it was the single “Shine” from their debut album the year prior that brought Collective Soul into mine, and everyone else’s consciousness. I saw them twice for free before the release of this album. I liked what I heard at these concerts, and found that I loved the songs on this album even more.
(From left): Shane Evans (drums), Dean Roland (guitar), Ed Roland (vocals, guitar), Ross Childress (guitar), and Will Turpin (bass).
The band was formed in 1992 by the Roland brothers in Stockbridge, Georgia, with Ed taking the lead as chief songwriter and producer. Just after this album was released, the band had many legal issues to fight through due to bad management. Eventually they got things back on track (they weren’t allowed to record or play any gigs during this time). Over time, Evans and Childress left and were replaced. They band released their seventh studio album last summer.
To tell you honestly, there is not one big thing that really draws me to this album. There is no outstanding musicianship. Ed Roland’s voice isn’t particularly fetching. The lyrics aren’t overly profound. But the songs are rather catchy, and it comes with the right amount of rock appeal, pop sensibilities, and raw power. There’s no overplaying. The musicians give exactly what the song needs and nothing more. It’s just a great rock album, and it’s all about the songs.
Highlights on the album, for me, are “Simple”, “Untitled”, “When the River Flows”, and “Gel”. These all fall into the faster paced rock tunes. Though the band can switch gears quite well with the likes of “The World I Know”, “When the Water Falls”, and “December”.
This album won’t be on many lists of best rock albums of all time, but there is a lot about it for many rock fans to really like.
Note #1: “Gel” became a staple at Joe Louis Arena. For a while there is was the song that played over the PA when the Wings hit the ice moments before the game started.
Note #2: I tried ripping this CD to my PC at work a few years three times, and all three times it had an enormous amount of errors. Then I tried it twice with my iPod, and had the same problems. I finally tried it again earlier this week, and it ripped with no problems … finally!
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