Counting Crows have a new single out. It's called Palisades Park. It's the first track off their upcoming, 7th studio release (out September 2, 2014) titled "Somewhere Under Wonderland"
Within one listen there's one thing I know for sure: Counting Crows are back. Now, I'm not saying that they ever really left, but this single is reminiscent of classic Crows. "Somewhere Under Wonderland" is the bands first record of original music since 2008's "Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings" and as a Counting Crows fan, I can tell you that this is a welcome, long awaited addition to their catalog. While 2012's "Underwater Sunshine" was a brilliant album, it was a covers album, and well, I know the world is ready for some Duritz originals.
And we get one. Palisades Park is a story. It's an epic. It's a feel good call back to the likes of Mrs. Potter's Lullaby. It's the prefect summer song. It's flows flawlessly from the distant sounding trumpet solo to Adam Duritz's vocals; fresh, refreshed, and slightly jazzy. I think the lyrics to the song might be the origin to the "come outside, come out your window...." lyric inserts Duritz has been adding to live versions of Round Here over the last couple years. Or maybe I'm wrong, who knows. But seriously though, the lyrics are good. And then there's the hook right before the chorus. Good gourd, the hook. But my favorite line, well, lines, the few lines out of the whole 8 minute song, that speak to me the most, right now anyway are:
"Andy said, "Man, I need a break from the world outside"
And these days my life just careens through a pinball machine
I could do so much better but I can't get off the tilt"
The last couple years my life has felt just like that.
The song builds as it goes, grows, grabs your attention every step of the way. The band, Dan Vickrey, David Immergluck, Dave Bryson, Millard Powers, Charlie Gillingham, and Jim Bogios, backing with the talent we've come to expect from them, but always proves to exceed expectations.
Palisades Park is an instant classic, though that phrase has never really made sense to me. It's got to be one of the best Counting Crows tracks I've heard in a while (and I love all of them, so that's saying something.) If the first track is this good, I can't even imagine how ridiculously good the rest of the album is going to be.
Pre-order "Somewhere Under Wonderland" via iTunes, or to pre-order vinyl packages, go here.
