Collective Soul (Rabbit)

In 1994, a song called Shine could be heard on just about every single radio at least once a day. The band that produced this flawless song was completely unknown at the time and could have been one of the all time great one hit wonders. This band was called Collective Soul, and just a year after Shine came out and blew everyone away, they released their second studio album, called Collective Soul. It was this album that started Collective Soul on a path to greatness. With three number one hits and an album that had not one bad song on it, it appeared that this once unnoticed band from Georgia was going to be the biggest act of the nineties. Fate, it seems, had other plans for this HUGELY underrated band. Their greedy manager had retained rights to their albums and the band was receiving very little money from everything they had accomplished. This forced them into a legal battle with their manager right as they were touring. Because of that, they had to cancel some of their tour dates, dates which would have created more album sales and surely more fans. Thanks to their manager, they ran out of money completely and could not record in a normal studio. So, determined to keep going, they retreated into a cabin in Georgia and came back with the release known as Disciplined Breakdown, an album inspired by their breakup with their manager. Although sales and popularity were down from the previous album, Disciplined Breakdown still managed to sell a million copies and was just as consistent as the previous release. It also produced two number one hits, Precious Declaration and Listen. Now that they had made a successful return to fame, the band decided to change their production a little. In 1999, they released Dosage, a much more polished release but still very much a rock album. Songs like Heavy, which spent 15 weeks at number one, and Run, continued to make them a radio powerhouse. With seven number one songs on the radio and a slew of top 10 songs, Collective Soul had become the most played rock band on 1990's radio. A year later, the album blender was released, which was, to say the least, a disappointment to many fans. The Dosage album had use some electronic effects into the mix, but this album was very heavy on the electronics. That being said, it was still a rock album and managed to produce a few hits. Following the release of a greatest hits album the next year, lead guitarist Ross Childress was fired from the band. No one knows exactly why, but commonly it is believed that Ross had been having an affair with lead singer Ed Roland's wife. True or not true, the issue remains very personal with the band. This split forced the band into hiatus for a while. Then, in 2004, with present guitarist Joel Kosche as the new lead guitarist, the now indie group produced the Youth album. It was a clear departure from the band's 90's rock sound and was even more pop than Blender or Dosage. The album still managed to do well and it was clear that Collective Soul was back. Three years later, the Afterwords album was released. With this CD, they showed the same style they had found on Youth and was a disappointment for many fans. It seemed that Collective Soul had become, as so many bands had, a shadow of their former selves, a once hard rocking band that had finally sold out to pop.

It is now 2009 and 15 years since the masterpiece Shine graced the radio airwaves. With this year comes the release of Collective Soul(Rabbit), Collective Soul's eighth studio release. If you are expecting to hear the same poppy songs you've heard on Youth and Afterwords, you will be in complete shock. This album is a return to the old school Collective Soul sounds. The songs are filled with catchy hooks and powerful riffs like the ones that made all of their radio staples great. This album has also returned the band to a major record label, allowing them to reach a greater audience with this spectacular release. Joel Kosche, although not completely appreciated by many, has now firmly established himself as a replacement for Ross Childress. His driving solos and strong, tight riffs bring energy to all of the songs and really make them what they are. Ed Roland's voice has never sounded better and continues to show his lyrical skills. Their new drummer, Cheney Brannon, is their best drummer yet and is clearly so when compared to all previous records. Long time bass player Will Turpin continues to provide his excellent background vocals and wonderful bass lines. Dean Roland also continues to provide the rhythm guitars and fills in the gaps during Kosche's solos effortlessly.

There is not a bad song on this release. With the opener Welcome All Again, it is clear that this is no pop record. The riff of this song will bring you back to the old days of Collective Soul and will make a new fan out of anyone. Fuzzy is an interesting tune, sounding like something David Bowie may have written back in the early 70's. The whistling in this song alone makes it a gem that will always be underrated. Dig is, in my opinion, the strongest song on the album. Its hard driving riff and rocking solo make for the best song this band has done since Heavy. Then, the record gets soft with the ballad You, a beautiful, airy tune that could have easily been on the Dosage album. The tempo picks up again with My Days, another riff driven song that reminded me a little bit like Next Homecoming from their greatest hits CD, but is much better thanks to Roland's beautiful lyrics and Kosche's improvization during the chorus. Understanding is a great song that drives hard through the first half and slows down in the second half. Kosche really shows why he is so great in this second half as he chooses his notes perfectly in a wonderful solo that last until the end of the song. Staring Down is really where Will Turpin gets to shine. His bass line in this song is so brilliant you'll be humming it more than you'll be singing the words, which, at the same time, are brilliant and deep. She Does is a faster ballad with a beautiful rhythm and is my second favorite song on the album. Lighten Up is probably the weakest song on the album. It is as driving as any of the hard rockers, but the guitar solo is much weaker and the lyrics are not exactly deep. Still, its a decent song. The next song, Love, continues the trend on this album of driving riffs and deep lyrics and is a great one to listen to on the road. The CD concludes with Hymn For My Father, a solo piece by Ed Roland playing piano. It reminded me of the song Reunion from their first self titled album. It shows Ed's respect for where he came from and shows his talent as a piano player that few of us knew he had. It is a perfect end to a flawless masterpiece.

I could not have been happier with this album. I would say that this is one of Collective Soul's finest albums and certainly their best since Dosage. They really have returned to their rock roots to produce a tight, consistent, well crafted piece of work. If you buy it, I can promise you that you will not be the least bit disappointed. They show us on this release why they were and still are such a great band. Let's bring them back into the spotlight, they've earned it here.

Okay, I'm going to get on my soapbox for one second and demand that people take a close look at perhaps the most underrated band of the past fifteen years. This latest effort comes just over fifteen years after their debut album tore up the airwaves with the smash hit "Shine." In the years that have passed since then, there have been hits (7 number one hits on the US modern rock chart including 1995's "December" and 1999's "Heavy") and not too many misses. Frontman Ed Roland has endured record label conflicts, changes within the band lineup, and a music scene that has all but abandoned alternative rock radio. But with this album, plus the recent return of Third Eye Blind, Sister Hazel, and Better Than Ezra, it might not be ignored for much longer.

The opening track, "Welcome All Again," might just be the band's best melodic hard rock track since "Shine." On "Fuzzy" the band channels their inner David Bowie (yet still manages to sound like Collective Soul). The top 20 leadoff single "Staring Down" is one of the more pop-oriented songs the band has released. But what sets "Rabbit" apart from the recent albums is it's stubborn consistency; there is not a bad track on here. The rockers are short and fast with a singalong melody (like "Dig" for example) and the ballads don't clutter and slow down the record. Even Roland's lyrics have improved, and what's more, he has allowed other band members to write a few of the songs. The end result is a band that sounds as fresh and immediate as many of the newer bands out there today. The difference is that Roland can still write catchy tunes with the best of them. For the Georgia band who always was the little engine that could, the title "Rabbit" is ever so appropriate. Collective Soul just keeps going....and going.....and going......

I have been a fan of this band for over 11 years and have all their albums. I'll be honest and say I was not very impressed by CS's last couple albums. They all had songs on them that I liked but, overall, I skipped over most of the tracks on each one. The songs weren't necessarily bad, as Ed Roland definitely has a gift for crafting a catchy tune, but they just seemed to lack energy and focus, a lot of the songs felt kind of lifeless. That's why I liked "Hollywood" on Afterwords, it may have been a bit fluffy but it was one of the few songs on that cd that I felt had a lot of energy, with a sort "It's Magic" era Cars vibe to it.

THIS album is a definite return to form. It's fun, it's upbeat and most importantly, it rocks. There are a couple ballads but even those have focus and life to them(Ed's song about his and brother Dean Roland's late father is beautiful). I have no trouble listening to every track on this one, though I think the first 3 songs and Understanding are my favorites. "Welcome All Again" is a perfect album opener, great guitar licks. "Fuzzy" is incredibly catchy, with fun lyrics and just great energy over all, though it may be one of those songs that you either love or hate, or maybe both--because it is infectious and the whistle gets stuck in your head. "Dig" just rocks out. "Understanding" just has a really interesting format, with the verse and chorus having very different tempos and once again, a lot of energy, good lyrics and very catchy.

I don't know what was going on when the album was being recorded but it just sounds Ed, Dean, Will, Joel and Cheney(who I think is new on this album?) were having a great time while making this recording. Speaking of Cheney, I don't want to knock the previous drummer Ryan but I feel Cheney's drumming sounds more powerful and that may be part of why this album seems to have more "oomph".

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