Come on just admit it - You like Collective Soul (I wont tell)!

Collective Soul is just one of those bands that create songs that stick in the back of your head, and no matter what you try and do, it won’t go away. I’ll admit right away that I’ve never bought any Collective Soul CD, except for the CD in question for this review, 7even Year Itch. Why have I never bought any of their CD’s you might ask? Do I not like them? Well, actually I think their popular songs are pretty groovy. Am I embarrassed to like them? Hmm, I think we may have something here…

I don’t know why I’m embarrassed for liking Collective Soul, it’s just something I can’t put into words. Perhaps it’s because they are a fairly popular radio band, and I tend to shy from radio friendly music. Perhaps it’s also because a few of my “music buddies” scoff when I mention how catchy a song like Precious Declaration is. Should I care if “they” make fun of what I like? Well, of course not, that would be shallow, and I’m not shallow, right?

Anyhow, when I saw that Collective Soul had finally put out a greatest hits CD, I knew the time had come to bite the bullet and join the masses. I don’t care what you say, but these guys can really rock, and they can write some of the catchiest ditties to grace the hum drum air waves. Almost every song on this collection is a direct hit at the heart of pop/rock sensibility.

And following with the popular trend as of late, the boys even throw on a couple of extra tracks that were previously unreleased. Now, this tactic is usually just a half-assed attempt to lure more sales, or to add filler to an already weak set list, but in the case of 7even Year Itch, I was pleasantly surprised that these tracks are solid Collective Soul offerings.

Energy, the first new offering, hinges on the faster paced side of Collective Soul’s offerings. I really like the reverberating lead guitar riffs that repeatedly assault your aural senses until your numb (a good numb, of course!) The other new track, Next Homecoming, rocks even harder than it’s predecessor, although I don’t think it quite achieves that Collective Soul hitch that makes one of their songs a keeper.

You want the hits, well they’re here! Spanning all their albums, including Dosage, Hints Allegations & Things Left Unsaid, Collective Soul (self titled), and Disciplined Breakdown. Some of my favorites are the tracks Heavy, Shine, Run, Precious Declaration, & The World I Know. Collective Soul can really run the gamut of styles, ranging from borderline heavy metal to quasi-Christian rock.

The band really knows how to write a hook laden chorus, which alludes to their great success as a radio friendly band. It’s these choruses that get stuck in your head, and eventually dull your senses into giving in and admitting that you like the song! Since this is a greatest hits disc, I’m not sure if it’s a must buy for someone who already owns every Collective Soul album, but then again, there’s always those two new tracks (clever move boys!)

I have a feeling I wasn’t the only person waiting for Collective Soul to put out a compilation, and I’m sure this CD will sell very well. Whatever mood your in, there’s a song on this CD to reflect what your feeling; joy, happiness, uncertainty, feeling miniscule among the cosmos, and sadness. I think diversity is what sets this band apart from the multitude of pop/rock outfits, and it is what will ensure their longevity.

The Band
Ed Roland – vocals, keyboards, guitars
Ross Childress – lead and rhythm guitars
Dean Roland – rhythm guitars
Will Turpin – bass, percussion
Shane Evans – drums, percussion

Track List
01 – Heavy
02 – She Said
03 – Shine
04 – Energy
05 – Run
06 – Gel
07 – Precious Declaration
08 – Why Pt. 2
09 – The World I Know
10 – Next Homecoming
11 – Listen
12 – December
13 – Forgiveness