Difficult Second Album? Check.

The "Difficult Second album" has always been a rock cliché. The second record from any band seems to take longer than 2 years to finish and comes complete with many lyrical tales about life on the road. There have been some well recognised "Difficult Second Albums". Guns N Roses highly flawed yet somewhat brilliant Use Your Illusions comes to mind.

This album fits the criteria quite well. Musically it isn't something that will require 100 spins before it clicks. But the process by which this album came about was certainly a tough one. Singer Adam Durtiz, like Kurt Cobain somewhat, had a metaphorically allergic reaction to the massive success of their 8 million selling debut. 1993s "August And Everything After" and went into hiding, trying to get away from the copious amount of press that was now attached with his name. He suffered several breakdowns and went through several bouts of severe depression, he even stated that he took up a regular job as a bartender in Johnny Depp's Viper Room in the evenings to try and seem normal again.

Everything that happened personally to Adam Durtiz during the years in between records came to the public in the form of the 14 track, 59 minute "Recovering The Satellites".

Lyrically the album sees Durtiz once again wearing his heart on his sleeve about his experiences of being this big figure he doesn't believe himself to be, with such lines as "And these days I feel like I'm fading away
Like sometimes when I hear myself on the radio".

Musically things get alot more interesting. While August and Everything After was a stripped down, rootsy rock album. Recovering sees the band as a six-piece, hiring in string quartets and using any instrument they can get their hands on. Some saw this as pretentious, but this mixed with great production by Gil Norton makes the record feel warm and inviting, despite the subject matters.

The somewhat sporadic "Catapult" kicks off the record firmly, leading into what is surely the Crows most hard rockin' and fun tune. "Angels of the Silences" starts of with some slight feedback before drummer Ben Mize's snare brings the whole band in to one of the bands greatest songs. So great it has remained a staple in their concerts.

The trilogy of "Daylight Fading", "I'm Not Sleeping" and "Goodnight Elisabeth" show the band at their most roosty, songs that would fit nicely on their previous record, especially the very Springsteen esque "Daylight Fading", which was released as a single.

"Children In Bloom" is one of the bands most beautiful pieces, with its distorted organ accompiment, syncopated drum rhythms and slide guitar, it makes for some strangely gorgeous music.

"Have You Seen Me Lately" is another up tempo, heavy rocker of a tune. With Durtiz crooning about him being bewildered about seeing himself in the public eye.

"Another Horsedreamers Blues" is a brilliantly chilled yet atmospheric tune, with Rhodes piano and string quartet. Adam Durtiz carries the song along with his little "bah dah, bah dah dah" refrain. Lyrically one of his most metaphorical pieces.

The title track, "Monkey" and "A Long December" rank amongst the bands great songs. Particularly the latter, in which Durtiz reminisces about the past year. Hoping the next will be much better.

Recovering The Satelites is the bands most consistent album. With enough diversity in the songs to keep the listeners attention throughout. (Something which August failed to do on occasion). Although one would not find anything optimistic or inspirational in the lyrics. There is plenty to enjoy here, despite its almost hour long running time. It is a beautifully dark and personal record that the band has not managed to top.