Track Listing

1. Round Here
2. Omaha
3. Mr. Jones
4. Perfect Blue Buildings
5. Anna Begins
6. Time And Time Again
7. Rain King
8. Sullivan Street
9. Ghost Train
10. Raining In Baltimore
11. A Murder Of One

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1856 in Music
• Released on: 1994-02-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds
• Running time: 51 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
It's amazing the difference a year makes. Upon its release, August and Everything After sounded remarkably fresh, a welcome change from the crunch and screech of grunge. Blending the vocal athleticism of Van Morrison with the moody rock of The Band, the Counting Crows turned on a whole legion of fans turned off by modern rock. But what sounded fresh soon became stale as dozens of bands flocked to the radio with euthanised versions of the Counting Crows' sound. But you shouldn't hold that against the Crow boys. August and Everything After is a fantastic rock album. Though "Mr. Jones" was the money-maker, the disc features such stand-out cuts as the dark lilt of "Anna Begins", the morose "Rain King", and the outstanding U2-meets-Grant Lee Buffalo anthem "Murder of One". Maybe time, and another listen, will heal the damage wrought. --Tod Nelson

CD Description
With their stunning craftsmanship and a classic sound DEEPLY rooted in whistlestop America, the anthems and rural overtones which distinguish the songs on AUGUST AND EVERYTHING AFTER evoke the same kind of visceral reaction which once greeted The Band. But AUGUST AND EVERYTHING AFTER is not an exercise in nostalgia.
Some listeners have reacted to vocalist Adam Duritz's gruff, ecstatic vocals in the way they once responded to such dark angels of revelation and regret as Van Morrison and Michael Stipe. On "Time And Time Again", Duritz conjures up a startling sense of longing and loneliness, as the listener is drawn in and consumed by a spooky sense of space and solitude.
Credit must go to producer T-Bone Burnett, who has gotten a lot of mileage out of similar themes and sounds. He frames Duritz's fervent vocals in Charlie Gillingham's mysterious keyboards and David Bryson's supple guitar, to particular effect on "Sullivan Street", where Maria McKee's harmonies give the tune a forlorn country resonance. All in all, there's a tactile, spiritual air to Counting Crows' tunes, as if by losing yourself in their lyric loneliness, by boarding their "Ghost Train", you could lose your own isolation.

Customer Reviews

Unbelievably good
When I bought this on its release it lived in my player. Little has changed. I am still besotted. The strong vocal style and clear image-loaded lyrics are just superb. "Round Here", "Mister Jones", "Sullivan Street" and "Murder of One" are beautiful hurting tracks, although it's impossible to pick a duff number.
The music is rock but with clear deep-south\country cajun\type influences, even if this is an LA band. That accordian for one thing. Not at all out of place in this rock setting, quite the opposite, an intrinsic part of the sound. "Recovering the Satelites" is a great follow up album to it but this debut still has the edge for me. It's a great impressionist painting of urban life, fair weather and foul weather. Aching love songs, aching anything songs. If you've never heard this album you're in for a magical surprise and, if this tips the balance, you owe me one!

Beautiful and evocative
This is an album i bought on cassette when it first came out and i listened to it so many times the writing wore off the tape - listening to it again recently i remembered why..

It is beautiful, that much is undeniable, but it also evokes a place and a feeling that is hard to describe. It has a hint of late summer about it (the title says it all), it feels like it should be listened to lying on your back on a warm day in an empty field. I can pay it no greater tribute.

It is intense without being over earnest, melodically it is totally accessible thanks to Duritz's beautiful vocals and ear for a tune, but it also will move you and make you analyse the lyrics for each subtle nuance. The obvious tracks remain instantly appealing (Mr Jones, Round Here) but there really is no let up in the quality. If this kind of country tinged rock music is your thing and somehow you have never heard this album, buy it and keep listening to it and i can guarantee it will become your musical best friend.

Superb
I first came across Counting Crows whilst sat in a mates car when he was giving me a lift into work. After a couple of weeks I found myself humming the tunes and I just had to know who this band was.

"Oh it's Counting Crows" says my friend and that was when I went out and purchased this album.

What can I say abouut the album itself? Well it's laid back folk/rock. It's very laid back.

The music meanders from the start of the track and gently makes it way to the end of it. Adam Duritz has a sublime voice (which you won't find sounding anywhere near as good on any of their other albums in my view) and it makes the gentle music resonate with a beauty.

The first 3 tracks are simply stunning then it has a bit of a lul in the middle and gets back down to the action for the final few tracks.

Unfortunately I feel that Counting Crows reached their pinacle with this Album and all of their other albums I have found to be disappointing - but that is probably more to do with the outstanding quality of all the tracks on this one!

Superb, buy it now 10/10