COUNTING CROWS

Intent on recapturing the mainstream glory of their debut AUGUST AND EVERYTHING AFTER, Counting Crows find themselves expanding ranks (adding touring guitarist David Immergluck) and tightening up musical execution on 2002's HARD CANDY. Make no mistake, frontman Adam Duritz continues plumbing the dark reaches of his sensitive and somewhat damaged psyche for lyrical inspiration, but the band's spirited playing makes for an excellent counterpoint. The results include a Byrds-flavored title cut (aided by Matthew Sweet's harmonies) and the semi-New Wave workout "New Frontier" peppered by Charlie Gillingham's delightfully cheesy synthesizer runs. Duritz's troubled romantic lyrics find him insecurely sabotaging an otherwise flourishing relationship on the soaring "Miami," unable to fathom whether love is nourishing or depriving on the bittersweet "Goodnight L.A.," and feeding off depression and suicide on the piano-driven "Black And Blue." Counting Crows' use of outside collaborators also works well. Among the most notable cameos are Ryan Adams contributing vocals and lyrics to the wistful waltz "Butterfly In Reverse," Jerry Hey delivering a rich flugelhorn solo to the melancholy "Carriage," and Sheryl Crow adding her distinctive voice to the groove-happy first single "American Girls." HARD CANDY makes for some tasty listening.

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