The topics covered by Ed Roland's lyrics are also more evolved(and in many cases more positive) than are generally found in popular music. The hit song "December" is a tale of betrayal, written about the discovery just prior to this album's release that their friend and manager had been rather deceitful in his dealings with the band("Why follow me to higher ground?/Lost as you swear I am"..."Don't worry about/Don't speak of doubt/Turn your head now baby/Just spit me out"). On the other hand there are the observations on the innocence of young child's quest for knowledge in "When the Water Falls"(She's a picture perfect child of innocence/Searching out in childlike ways for knowledge..."Do you know where the sun goes/When the water falls?...").

Songs like "She Gathers Rain" and "Bleed" touch upon the difficulties of dealing with emotional and spiritual hardships. SGR shows a more positive course of trying to overcome pain("Her imagination/Has started stretching wide/And her new convictions/No longer will she hide...She gathers rain/to rinse away all her guilt and pain/She gathers rain/To wash and cleanse and make her whole again"). The rain being a sort of baptism into a new life. "Bleed" goes for the other extreme, the state of a person unable to overcome their pain alone(and based on a true story from Roland's childhood), with lines such "I think her gun's unloaded now/I guess tomorrow will be after all"..."Mirrors of her memory/Reflect nothing with each word she says".

The song "Smashing Young Man" shows a more sarcastic humorous side of Roland, poking some fun at the gloomy attitudes of the grunge era in which they first found their success--"Success is so tragic/Pain is your gadget/Your tongue is just lashing/You're b!tchin' by habit/Hey I hope you're feeling/A little purer now/Hey I hope you're feeling/Securer now.." (BTW, that cuss word is the only one in the 4 Collective Soul albums thus far).

Another theme throughout the album, carrying over from their first hit "Shine" in 1994(and continuing on in their next 2 albums), is attempting to find and sustain a universal type of love. This can be seen in songs such as "Simple", "Untitled", "The World I Know", "Gel" and "Collection of Goods". The well known chorus from "Gel" bears this out "Let's mingle/And make it well/Come together now/Yeah let's gel".

At the turn of a new millenium what could be more timely:-)


Collective Soul at their best!   March 13, 2001
 9 out of 9 found this review helpful

The Beatles put out the White Album, Metallica put out the Black Album, and then Collective Soul put out the Blue Album. In short, self-titled, monochromatic albums will never let you down. How can anyone not love this album? This is one of the first albums I ever bought, and it still sounds fresh each time I listen to it. It's kind of hard to classify, it's too heavy to be considered alternative, yet it's not quite metal. Maybe, alternative hard rock? Well, whatever it is, it is good stuff. Fans of both alternative and metal alike should enjoy it. Highlights are...everything! There is not a bad moment on this album. Ross Childress is an incredible soloist, and Ed Roland is a very soulful, versatile vocalist. The first time I heard "December", I could have sworn there were two or three guys singing lead, and that it couldn't possibly be one guy. But, it is! You've got a wide variety of songs here, from hard rock ("Simple", "Where the River Flows") to melodic ("The World I Know", "When the Water Falls") to just unusual ("Gel", "Collection of Goods"). And, if that ride wasn't exciting enough, the album ends in a soft, gospel-type song called "Reunion", with what appears to be a church choir backing the band. At the end, you're just thinking, "man, that was good!". I recommend this album to anyone. It will never get old. This is the second best alt-rock type album I've ever heard, right behind Live's "Throwing Copper". I was hoping for another album like this in "Blender" after the very mediocre "Dosage", but no such luck. You can buy those albums if you want, but this is the definitive Collective Soul album.