On their latest release, Dosage, Collective Soul creates music with style and elegance. The problem is that they do it so slowly. I thought that this band had a lot of rocking years ahead of them, but they now seem content to make a run straight into the ever growing ballad rock genre.
Dosage starts off big and fast with “Tremble For My Beloved”. The thick, layered guitars are interwoven with Ed Roland’s airy vocals. “No More No Less” boasts a hook that produces involuntary movement of the feet and spontaneous singing. Roland has a beautiful, soft voice that in no way reflects the gruffness that many remember from Collective Soul’s original hit, “Shine”.
Collective Soul may be looking for a gentler sound or perhaps they would just like to break up their own monotony and show off their softer side. “Needs” does just that. With its chirping strings and slow elevator sound, it builds up steam and blows it out, but rarely climaxes. However, this in no way diminishes the song’s beauty and grace.
Thanks to its inclusion in the Varsity Blues film and soundtrack, “Run” is getting much airplay and is as big a ballad as Collective Soul has pulled out of their bag-o-tricks since “The World I Know”.
“Generate”, “Compliment”, “Not The One “, and the hidden eleventh track round the album out nicely. “Crown” has something that makes listening to it quite pleasurable.
Written and sung by guitarist Ross Childress, “Dandy Life” has a clean sound and humming chorus, but the verses are strung together like some pathetic Christmas display. Childress would have been better off giving this song back to its rightful owners, Third Eye Blind.
Upon my initial listen I told everyone that this album wasn’t very good, but I didn’t really give it a chance. I stand corrected.
+ rae gun
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