I have seen them 15 times now, including once this summer where they played most of this album. I have always listened to every album they released the day of(or sometimes the day before, thanks to my mall worker friends). Getting and listening to a new album was like Christmas and opening a Christmas present, but not once a year, once every 5 years.

That's said, with work, wife, and kids, this album was different--I couldn't give it the attention it deserved(I'd rather prolong Christmas and save the best gifts until they could be fully appreciated), I finally unwrapped Somewhere tonight and am enjoying my post LSU victory with this Counting Crows cigar. They're old. But so am I. Our tastes, together, have changed--evolved. I am way too emotionally invested to be objective--I will love everything they ever put out. However, upon 1st listen, I long for Adam's angst--it's hard to whine about stardom at 50 when you're a multimillionaire, Hollywood starlet-fricking rock star. It makes an occasional appearance, most notably in the record's finale, Possibility Days. But how could he possibly wail/whine about the same things he did when he was 26 when August was recorded? So, I give them a pass on this.

I think musically, it's probably one of their better albums, but I'm not musically savvy enough to appreciate it like that. I think it fails on melody--I'm sure Adam could write 10 poppy diddies that could be borderline radio hits despite the relative age of the band. Clearly, that's not what interests him or the band. And that's fine.

They Are content to be who they are and who they were. But they're not gonna move me--or anybody else like they did when that opening, haunting riff of Round Here that finally introduced the song, the record, the band, Adam, as "stepping out the front door" and into our individual and collective hearts. You either got Counting Crows or you didn't. If you did, tip o' the cap my fellow sailor. If not, I'm truly sorry--your life wasn't as rich because of it. They may not have mattered to you, but they did to us, and our lives were forever changed--for the infinite better,

Back to Somewhere under Wonderland--I am unwrapping my 5 year Christmas present for the 2nd time. While is can't detach myself emotionally from it---I can't not love it. I love it less than I would have 20 years ago when I was 16. And that sucks. Artists can't say what they did when they were 20 or 30, and we can't hear it like we did as teenagers, i read an article a year or so back that said emotionally you can't possibly like a band as much as you did when you were 16. That makes sense. But it's sad. But it makes me thank my fricking stars that Adam Duritz spoke to me when i was 16. He's still speaking. I'm still listening. Are you?