Album Review: Counting Crows

Counting Crows were undeniably one of the greatest alternative rock bands of the 1990s, giving us classic hits including Mr Jones, Round Here and Sullivan Street that will live forever in the minds of anyone who grew up listening to them.

Since then they've sold more than 20 million albums and released five hit records, and now after a brief four year break have taken a side step to release a sixth album of purely covers songs.

Underwater Sunshine (Or What We Did On Our Summer Vacation) is a perky collection of 15 covers tracks from musical legends The Faces and Bob Dylan through to fellow '90s rockers Teenage Fanclub and Travis. Each tune is given the signature Counting Crows treatment with simple piano chords, jangly strumming guitar and raw, heart-tugging vocals that bring a new found passion to each track.

Tracks like Like Teenage Gravity by Kasey Anderson & The Honkies and Sordid Humor's Jumping Jesus could easily be passed off as Counting Crow's originals, slotting in smoothly with their own musical style and gaining a new lease of life from singer Adam Durtiz's distinctive vocals.

Other winners on the album include the energetic Ooh La La by The Faces and two Tender Mercies numbers – Mercy and Four White Stallions – which showcase the band's ability to pull off country rock to a tee.

For their first foray into covers albums, Underwater Sunshine is a fun listen that will be a hit for any Crows fan.