The Counting Crows have had a story to tell since they began writing music, and their newest album, "Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings," is no exception. Lead singer and lyricist Adam Duritz weaves stories into songs investigating sin and remorse. At its core, the album is a remorseful yet intriguing memory of Duritz's past and a hopeful feeling about his future.
Due to the Counting Crows' past track record for great albums, expectations for "Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings" were very high. Though the album may disappoint some casual listeners because there is no one song quite as catchy or gripping as "Mr. Jones" (1994), the avid Counting Crows listener will find the same great musicianship that was present on past albums. Duritz is still the same masterful storyteller he always has been, using imagery and references to past songs to create a vivid picture in the listener's mind.
"Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings" is an album about sin and remorse. Indeed, as Duritz himself has said on many occasions, "Saturday night is when you sin and Sunday is when you regret." Fittingly, the album is divided into two parts (although they are both on the same disc). "Saturday Nights," the rock-and-roll-oriented section of the album, contains songs about sex, alcohol and Duritz's complete disintegration. "Sunday Mornings," the country-inspired half, is a set of acoustic songs that tackles the themes of remorse, emptiness and hope.
"Saturday Nights" opens with a bang. "1492" is the album's loudest song and although it may not be the strongest track, it sets the tone for the rest of the album. In the chorus, Duritz sings about disintegrating and losing himself: "Oh, where do we disappear/ Into the silence that surrounds us and then drowns us in the end."
"Hanging Tree" is the second track on "Saturday Nights." The dissonance of the verses complements the lyrics of the song, which discuss Duritz's lack of connection with those around him and his inability to make himself someone people care about. In this way, the somewhat unrelated guitar and piano parts echo the lack of connection in Duritz's own life. Despite the somewhat melancholy verses of the song, "Hanging Tree" has a strong shout chorus that brings all the band's instruments together to give the song a more concrete identity and tonal center.
The last four songs on "Saturday Nights" are much stronger than the first two. "Los Angeles," "Sundays," "Insignificant" and "Cowboys" are all songs that fit into the more conventional style of the Counting Crows. These songs are the meat of "Saturday Nights" and will take the least effort to understand and appreciate. Although these last four songs will be easier to get into, they are not simpler songs. On the contrary, each of these songs investigates in greater depth the "Saturday Nights" themes of sin, confusion and loss.
"Sunday Mornings" is more musically interesting than "Saturday Nights" and addresses some equally intriguing themes. One of the themes central to "Sunday Mornings" is hope. Hope can be seen in songs such as "Come Around," "Washington Square," "On Almost Any Sunday Morning" and "On a Tuesday in Amsterdam Long Ago."
"Washington Square" is the first song on "Sunday Mornings"; the song is not one of the album's best, but the words are very well written and especially significant. The lyrics suggest that getting away is a constructive and healing process. Indeed, "Washington Square" is a well-formed transition from sin into healing and regret. The song tells the story of Duritz trying to reconcile all of his feelings by getting away. The song, however, ends right where it began, implying that as much as Duritz might like to leave it all behind, he has to come back. The idea that one can never truly leave one's past behind or start over with a clean slate is central to the song. Indeed, through the lyrics of "Washington Square," Duritz suggests that "Sunday Mornings" is about regret but not redemption; it's about getting away but not being able to leave it all behind. Most importantly, it's about ending up back where you started - and being okay with that.
