Counting Crows: Somewhere Under Wonderland Tour with Twin Forks

When Counting Crows emerged in 1993, their distillation of Van Morrison-inspired vocals and alt-country-like melodies was truly unique. Their 1993 debut August and Everything After was an auspicious album that heralded a bright new talent. Now, after selling some 20 million albums, the group released its latest work, Somewhere Under Wonderland, earlier this year. Album opener “Palisades Park” opens with a bit of horn and piano before singer Adam Durtiz starts riffing, dropping images that suggest a mid-life crisis. The album has its moments: “Earthquake Driver” is a snappy number with terrific harmony vocals that make it sound like a Beach Boys tune, and with its call-and-response vocals, “Scarecrow” sounds like something the band might play at a hootenanny. Duritz has an evocative voice and can still write with a poet’s sense of imagery and detail. (Niesel)