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On March 25, 2008, the Counting Crows released their 5th studio album (they also have multiple live CDs and a greatest hits) entitled Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings.

The CD is split into two halves, hence the title. The first half, Saturday Nights, is a total of 6 songs and follows more of a Recovering the Satellites feel. The second half, Sunday Mornings, is the last 8 songs and it follows more of an August and Everything After feel. I was lucky enough a few months back to be on a Delta plane that was playing a Counting Crows station in order to prepare people for the new album. The station played many of their old great songs as well as five songs off the new CD (Hanging Tree, Insignificant, Cowboys, Washington Square, and When I Dream of Michelangelo). What I heard on those plane rides was a great glimpse into the new album that made me super excited to pick up a new CD by one of my favorite artists. However, it also made me mad because the pilots and flight attendants would continuously interrupt When I Dream of Michelangelo, which has moved into my top five favorite songs by Counting Crows.

I do find myself listening to more of the Sunday Mornings section of the CD which is odd because Recovering The Satellites holds a special place for me (it was the first CD I ever bought). So far, those songs I heard on the plane rides are my continuous playlist, but there are a few dark horse tracks that are quickly growing on me with every listen (Los Angeles, Le Ballet D’or, and Come Around).

Amazon has a set of 3 or 4 videos that let you listen to a few of the new tracks. My next goal will be to check out the bonus tracks that iTunes released. Now I need someone who uses iTunes so I don’t have to lower myself to the iTunes level.

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