Counting Crows are back with their new album Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets. If you’ve been waiting since Somewhere Under Wonderland in 2014 for a full-length album, this one delivers. It builds on the successful 2021 Suite One EP, adding five new tracks to create a seamless nine-song journey that feels like one long, winding conversation set to music. It’s rich, emotional, entertaining and most importantly it’s unmistakably Counting Crows.
The album opens with “With Love From A–Z,” a reflective, rootsy track that sets the tone perfectly. From there, “Spaceman in Tulsa” swoops in with a dreamy, slightly psychedelic edge. It’s definitely one of the standouts. The vocals are classic Counting Crows and make you want to get up and move. It’s full of layered meaning, hazy imagery, and that classic Duritz touch. “Boxcars” and “Virginia Through The Rain” keep that momentum going, walking the line between melancholy and hopeful in the way only Counting Crows really can.
By the time we get to “Under The Aurora,” you can really feel the thought that has gone into this album. It’s almost like it’s taking you on a road trip through memory and emotion and that’s not by accident. Then we dip into the familiar territory of the Suite One tracks: “The Tall Grass,” “Elevator Boots,” “Angel of 14th Street,” and “Bobby and the Rat-Kings.” Even if you’ve heard them before, they’ve been remixed and smoothed out, fitting right in with the newer material without missing a beat.
What’s great is that the whole album feels connected, like the songs are all part of the same world. I’ve said it before in my reviews but it’s getting harder and harder to find an album that you can listen to all the way through and it feels connected and tells a story. Duritz’s voice hasn’t lost a bit of its character and the band sounds tight, warm, and confident. There’s no flash or filler here, just thoughtful songwriting and a vibe that somehow feels both nostalgic and fresh.
Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets isn’t a reinvention, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s Counting Crows doing what they do best, telling stories, tugging heartstrings, and wrapping it all in gorgeous, guitar-driven melodies. It’s a welcome return and a strong listen from start to finish.
Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets gets a sweet 8 out of 10.
Reviewer – Alan Robinson @alan_robinson_photography