Although the 90's were reigned by bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains, there were other bands that were able to produce some hit songs and classic albums just like Collective Soul. This band out of Georgia combined grunge with rock and roll that separated them from Nirvana yet at the same time showed and influence from them. Their debut album was a big plunder with "Shine" being the only hit and really, Collective Soul was nothing more than a one hit wonder after their debut release. But their follow up and self titled album would change all of that for good. With many new songs storming the charts, Collective Soul became a popular 90's band that garnered a lot of attention all in thanks to this album. From the rocker "Simple" to the ballad "The World I Know", this album is sure to grab your attention and never let it go until the end.
Band Members:
Ed Roland (Vocals)
Dean Roland (Guitars)
Ross Childress (Guitars)
Will Turpin (Bass)
Shane Evans (Drums)
1. Simple (3:44)
"Simple" is the first song that starts off the album and let me tell you, it rocks and it rolls. It starts quiet for the first thirty seconds with some singing that's hard to hear and understand but the guitars and drums kick in and get loud. The lyrics are really catchy with lines such as; "let love seek and let love find, it's simple". The riff reminds me of the Black Crowes song "Twice as Hard". A really great song and a great way to start the album.
5/5
2. Untitled (4:01)
The guitar riff kicks in immedietly that really resembles a hard rock song but the chorus kicks in and changes the song into almost a ballad. The song title confused me at first but the song is supposedly about god and since god doesn't have a real name, that's where the title comes from. The solo is pretty good as well, but the whole hard rock in the verses change up to the ballad like feel in the chorus is what makes this song a great one.
5/5
3. The World I Know (4:16)
The most popular song on the album, you're probably quite familiar with it even if you haven't listened to this album. Begins with an acoustic guitar riff that's quite beautiful if you ask me. The chorus has a really upbeat tempo while the rest of the song other than the end is actually a bit depressing. There's some good orchestra work as well to go along with the song. Out of what i've already said though, the lyrics may be the best part to this song. Ed Roland really does an amazing job singing and its no wonder this song was such a success.
5/5
4. Smashing Young Man (3:45)
The next song kicks off with some rockin' guitars and an angry sounding Ed Roland. The lyrics are important in this song since this song is actually about how the Smashing Pumpkins sued Collective Soul thinking that "Shine" was a rip off of one of their songs. Collective Soul won the case though and then this song was born. The chorus is quite catchy and the guitar solo has a nice distorted sound to it. When I first heard this song I didn't like it but it grew on me and I have a feeling it may be that way with a lot of other people too.
4/5
5. December (4:45)
Another song you're probably familiar with due to its heavy exposure on the radio. It has one catchy riff that will get stuck in your head for a long time. The drums are also well done in this song and don't forget the excellent bass that you can make out in the background. The lines; "Don't scream about, don't think aloud, turn your head now baby spit me out" are some of Collective Soul's best lyrical work and one of the reasons this song is such a great classic.
5/5
6. Where the River Flows (3:35)
The starting riff to this song kicks a lot of butt and if you've heard it you'd agree. It's a good song but the vocals are poorly done in this one and really lag on consedidering the guitar riff is awesome. Maybe the first real let down of the album but not a bad song either, hardcore fans of Collective Soul will probably love it.
3/5
7. Gel (3:00)
A short song with a goofy intro that really hurts its appeal. I never liked this song at first and for a long time. But it grew on me and I really enjoy it and see no reason why anybody else wouldn't enjoy it too. The lyrics are catchy and the solo has a great classic rock feel to it. Besides not being really cathcy at first, its also a bit short too but that being said it's still a great song.
4/5
8. She Gathers Rain (4:31)
This song starts out with some excellent guitar work and gets a great build up before the chorus lets the song down with some weak singing. Besides the poor chorus, the rest of the song rocks and its too bad considering this could've been a bigger hit. The lyrics kind of save the song as well with a great message behind them. I've heard its really anti-suicide, then again, so is the whole album.
4/5
9. When the Water Falls (3:40)
I find this song to be the biggest suprise on the album with its innocent vibe and excellent guitar riff. Ed Roland does a great job on the vocals in this one and the guitar solo is really sweet too. The chorus is excellent with the lyrics; "Where does the sun go?, when the water falls" and many other great lines. A fantastic song that everyone should really enjoy wether you're even a big fan of Collective Soul or not.
5/5
10. Collection of Goods (4:14)
Maybe the weakest song on the entire album, its still good by all means but the opening singing is highly annoying and the lyrics are overly repetitive. The guitar work gives you something to look forward to in this song after the poor beginning. Not a whole lot more to say about this song, you may hate it, you might not mind it, you may like it, take a listen and decide for yourself.
3/5
11. Bleed (4:03)
I'd like to say that this song is the hidden gem on the entire album. "The World I Know" and "December" are the popular hits while the big suprise song is "When the Water Falls", making this the true gem that you have to buy the album to really hear. It has a lot of energy and builds up and the lyrics get going until the music practically stops after you hear the line; "'Cause it's only time before we all must bleed" and then it does it again a few more times until the end. The lyrics are about a suicidal woman and really describe the situation perfectly. All in all this is an amazing song that adds even more excellence to this album.
5/5
12. Reunion (2:35)
The final song is a short gospel like song with some great upbeat acoustic guitars and again, fantastic singing by Ed Roland. There's an acoustic guitar solo as well that's nice to enjoy and then the song ends and so does the album.
5/5
Although this album may get lost in the shuffle of classic albums from the 90's that include "Nevermind", "Ten" and many others, it's still great to pop into the stereo every now and then and rock out too. The rocker "Simple" gets the album on a rockin' track right from the beginning while the hits "The World I Know" and "December" keep your interest alive with some great riffs and fantastic lyrics. There's some other songs to really find and enjoy here as well like "Smashing Young Man", "When the Water Falls" and the excellent "Bleed". The album may have a few songs that let it down in a way but they all are still great and in the end, this is a great album from a band that never really outdid themselves after this one.
Well that's it, great songs, great album, go pick it up if you don't have it already!
Pros (+)
+ Great songs (The World I Know, December, ect.)
+ Great lyrics and singing
+ Guitars, bass, drums and whatever else is done well
+ Great messages behind the lyrics of the songs
Cons (-)
- Some songs not that catchy at first (Gel, Collection of Goods, ect.)
- You may not some of the songs at all for the above reason
