Somewhere Under Wonderland is the seventh studio album by American rock band Counting Crows, released on September 2, 2014[1] by Capitol Records. The album is the band's first album of original material in six years since 2008's Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings and is their first release on Capitol. The release has received positive reviews from critics.
Background, recording, and release
After parting with original label Geffen Records of 18 years in 2009, the band released two live albums and a studio album of cover songs independently. In 2013, while touring in the "Outlaw Roadshow"—a traveling festival show sponsored by the band in part with the music blog Ryan's Smashing Life—the band began to write new material.[2] Duritz explained in concert that "God of Ocean Tides" was the first new song he'd written in years, and was inspired by leaving Nashville on their tour bus at two in the morning.[3] After recording independently, they shopped the album around to eight or nine labels and finally signed with Capitol.[4]
The album was promoted with a nationwide event that involved the band posting sidewalk chalk art by Chris Carlson onto their Facebook profile and rewarding the first fan to show up at that location with a copy of the album or concert tickets.[5] The lead single from Somewhere Under Wonderland, entitled "Palisades Park", was released on July 8, 2014.[citation needed] It was followed by a second single, "Scarecrow".[citation needed] A concert tour followed.
Somewhere Under Wonderland has received mostly positive feedback from music critics. At Metacritic, they assign a "weighted average" rating out of 100 to selected independent ratings and reviews from mainstream critics, and the album has received a Metascore of a 74, based on 10 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[6]
Fred Thomas of AllMusic rates the album four stars, calling "Somewhere Under Wonderland distinctively Counting Crows. Duritz's raspy voice and lucid, lyrical stories always hold just a hint of desperation, and even decades into a staggered career, these new tunes can't help but feel like part of a larger narrative that began during the band's '90s glory days but finds further, greater refinement here."[7] In a three stars review on behalf of Rolling Stone, Jon Dolan writes how "Adam Duritz is still the same dreadlocked dreamer you remember from the Nineties, channeling Van Morrison, R.E.M. and Bruce Springsteen into word-zonked ballads that reference Jackie-O., Elvis, Johnny Appleseed and more."[8] Helen Brown of The Daily Telegraph calls the album "their best collection of songs since their debut."[9]
Brian Deck – glockenspiel on "Palisades Park" and "God of Ocean Tides", hand claps on "Earthquake Driver", production, mixing at The Magic Shop in New York City in April 2014
Eric Hillman – backing vocals on "Cover Up the Sun"
Brian Holl – backing vocals on "Cover Up the Sun"
John Paul Roney – backing vocals
Chris Watson – trumpet on "Palisades Park"
Technical personnel
Jason Butler – assistant engineering
Greg Calbi – mastering at Sterling Sound in New York City
Somewhere Under Wonderland debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 32,000 copies in its first week.[10] It marks the band's sixth top 10 album.[10]
^Herstand, Ari (November 5, 2019). How To Make It in the New Music Business: Practical Tips on Building a Loyal Following and Making a Living as a Musician (Second ed.). Liveright. ISBN9781631496325.
