In preparation for recording a themed podcast (1994) - I've been spending a lot of time in recent days, pulling albums from that specific time period. In the process of pulling albums, I've found myself pulling records that I thought were released in 1994, but ended up being released in 1993 or 1995.

Today's album of the day, is an album I listen to at least once or twice a year... it's August & Everything After by the Counting Crows. An album I guess that one could describe as an alternative/americana album?

The album had a number of popular radio singles, specifically "Mr. Jones" and "Round Here"... when I hit the internets up for notes and historical critiques of the album, I was surprised to see so many "4 out of 5" star reviews for the album.

It's a solid album from beginning to end and I'm struggling to think of how it can't be on the short list of 'contemporary classic' albums. I mean, there's no way the band, the label and the producer didn't know during the recording of this record that they were recording something that was Springsteenesque at the very moment it was coming together.

More than any other large commercial album in my musical library, I find myself gravitating and listening incredibly closely to the non-singles found on this record.

Sullivan Street - is currently playing aloud in my apartment and I'm finding it hard to not stop the song 3/4 of the way through and hear it again. The piano arrangements on this song are fucking ridiculous... the female backing vocals in the chorus is an example of the detailed attention that was given to each track.

Anna Begins - is an example of Adam's exceptional ability to pen narrative songs that so many other front men can't. It's fucking poetic really... and it doesn't hurt that he can croon over the 2s and 4s.

Have a small factoid to share about this album... If you look closely at the album art, you'll notice that there's lyrics to a song "August & Everything After" that they opted to not put on the album. The song has only been performed 2 or 3 times out loud and I found a copy this afternoon.