Picture it: following the success of their debut record, 1994’s “Hints, Allegations & Things Left Unsaid” which reached the No. 15 position on the Billboard 200, the Stockbridge, Georgia native rock band, Collective Soul released their sophomore follow-up, “Collective Soul,” in March of 1995.
The band at the time, was made up of lead singer Ed Roland, his brother and rhythm guitarist Dean Roland, bassist Will Turpin, Ross Childress on lead guitar, and Shane Evans on drums. The Rolands and Turpin are the only three original members left in the band with Childress leaving in 2001 and Evans being kicked out from the band in 2006.
There are a lot of great songs that have come from this record which has gone three times platinum since its release. The record, which features 12 songs has a run time of 46 minutes of classic rock-infused 90s style of grunge that creates the perfect distinct sound.
The first tune is “Simple.” The song contains a hard rock riff and lasts a little over three and a half minutes. Listeners are immediately introduced to Ed Roland’s unique voice. Roland’s voice has stood the test of time and has projected the band into one of the few grunge-era groups that made it out of the 90s and continues to tour. The most enjoyable part of the song is the last 30 seconds where the band jams and rocks out.
Track two, “Untitled” has the same vibe that “Simple” did and is a great transition song to the third track.
“The World I Know (LP Version)” is your typical ballad on the record. The song which is still featured in their live shows has acoustic guitars and a slower beat from Evans on the drums. If you asked me to think of what the 90s sounded like, I would pick out this song. It has a vibe to it that seems like it belongs in the credits of some movie. It’s a rather easy listen for the ears when compared to the previous two songs.
As “The World I Know (LP Version)” ends, track four and one of my favorites “Smashing Young Man” is next. “Smashing Young Man” features a funky guitar riff from Roland and Childress with Evans incorporating a groovy feel to back up the rest of the band. The guitar solo on this song is extremely catchy. It’s melodic yet at the same time can bring a different feel to the entire song as Roland also sings along to the chords being belted out of Childress’ guitar.
Track five is the smash hit song “December.” This song is one of, if not the biggest song in the band’s discography. From the opening riff of Roland’s guitar, the song is instantly recognizable. The entire song has singable lyrics throughout the tune with an exceptionally catchy chorus of “Don’t scream about, don’t think aloud, turn your head now, baby, just spit me out, don’t worry ’bout, don’t speak of doubt turn your head now, baby, just spit me out.” If you’re a fan of the band like I am, I bet you can hear the song in your head. The song is a classic and it helped the record reach the No. 23 position on the Billboard 200 charts.
The following track, “Where The River Flows,” picks up on the same grunge/hard rock vibe that “Simple” and “Untitled” did but has a rougher edge to it.
Track seven, “Gel,” is one of my favorites on the entire record. Maybe it’s not on the same level as “December,” but it’s still a great song. With a mean bassline in the chorus from Turpin, this song is one to remember. It’s a great song live and the energy from the studio does carry over into their live performance. “Gel” has everything you would want in a hard rock song. It has a catchy riff both on guitars and bass, great vocals, and a groovy beat.
The remaining six songs (tracks eight through 13) are all good songs to round out the rest of the record. The highlights of those six songs are “She Gathers Rain” and “When The Water Falls.” Each song is different from the other tunes and stands out compared to some of the hard rock/grunge songs that have appeared on the record.
Collective Soul’s self-titled record is a great follow-up to their debut record, and for some, this record is what introduced many fans across different rock genres to the band. The songs within this record have become classics. You ask anyone to name a Collective Soul song and chances are that they name at least one song off this record.
So, now that we have taken a dive into one of the most underrated bands from the 90s, the question is, do you remember?
