Films About Ghosts: The Best Of...

by Counting Crows

Overview

Counting Crows always seemed a little older than their years, so it somehow seemed appropriate when they arrived at certain milestones a little earlier than their peers. They released their first live album, an exhaustive double-disc set, just two albums into their career, then, two albums later, they issued Films About Ghosts: The Best Of..., their first compilation. Part of the reason they're issuing a compilation after just four studio albums may be that they've arrived at the end of their recording contract with Geffen and this ties up loose ends, but it's also been ten years since Counting Crows broke through with their debut, August and Everything After, and their first hit, "Mr. Jones," so it's a good time to take stock and recap their first decade. Films About Ghosts does offer an accurate summary of those ten years, even if it's not a complete one. While this generous compilation includes all of the major hits -- "Round Here," "A Long December," "Hanginaround," "Mr. Jones," and even the non-LP modern rock chart-topper "Einstein on the Beach (For an Eggman)" -- it does overlook three charting singles from their first two albums ("A Murder of One," "Daylight Fading," "Have You Seen Me Lately"), substituting album tracks and two new recordings produced by Brendan O'Brien (the good new single "She Don't Want Nobody Near," an enjoyable but superfluous cover of the Grateful Dead's "Friend of the Devil") instead. Add to this a deliberately non-chronological sequencing that prevents the album from having proper momentum, and Films About Ghosts isn't as ideal a compilation as it could have been, but these are rather minor issues, since it does contain the great majority of Counting Crows' hits and concert staples and, in doing so, it provides a listen that's as enjoyable, frustrating, and rewarding as the band's proper albums. And that means it's a fine summary of the group's stint at Geffen, an era that might have resulted in just four albums in ten years, but did provide a bunch of good music, much of which can be heard here. [This version of the album includes the bonus track "Accidentally in Love," bringing the total number of tracks on the compilation to 17.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	11/02/2004
Label:	Geffen
UPC:	0075021030015

Tracks

1. Angels of the Silences
2. Round Here
3. Rain King
4. A Long December
5. Hanginaround
6. Mrs. Potter's Lullaby
7. Mr. Jones
8. Recovering the Satellites
9. American Girls
10. Big Yellow Taxi
11. Omaha
12. Friend of the Devil
13. Einstein on the Beach (For an Eggman)
14. Anna Begins
15. Holiday in Spain
16. She Don't Want Nobody Near
17. Accidentally in Love

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Counting Crows   Primary Artist
Vanessa Carlton   Primary Artist,Vocals (Background)
Sheryl Crow   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Vocals (Background)
Adam Hamilton   Handclapping
Brendan O'Brien   Bass,Harp,Percussion
Adam Duritz   Bells,Piano,Vocals,Harmonica,Wurlitzer,Tambourine
Jim Bogios   Drums,Loops,Vocals
Dan Vickrey   Banjo,Sitar,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Maria McKee   Vocals (Background)
David Bryson   Dobro,Vocals,Slide Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Guitar (12 String Electric)
Matt Malley   Guitar,Vocals,Double Bass,Guitar (Bass)
David Campbell   Conductor
Ben Mize   Drums,Loops,Vocals,Percussion,Tambourine
Gary Louris   Vocals (Background)
Steve Bowman   Drums,Vocals
Charlie Gillingham   Piano,Vocals,Accordion,Harmonica,Mellotron,Omnichord,Wurlitzer,Chamberlin,Tack Piano,Synthesizer,Fender Rhodes,Organ (Hammond),Guitar (Acoustic)
David Immerglueck   Bass,Vocals,Mandolin,Slide Guitar,Sitar (Electric),Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)

Technical Credits

Chris Strother   Photography
Nicole Good Pierce   Photography
Phil Martin   Assistant
Donal Hodgson   Engineer
Cynthia Levine   Photography
Martin Jones   Composer,Composer
Daniel John Vickery   Composer
Ron Fair   Producer
Marty Jones   Composer
Jerry Garcia   Composer
Tal Herzberg   Engineer
Jim Scott   Mixing
Michael Barbiero   Mixing
Brendan O'Brien   Mixing,Composer,Producer
Adam Duritz   Composer,Group Member,String Samples
Jim Bogios   Group Member
Dan Vickrey   Composer,Group Member
Gary Gersh   Executive Producer
T-Bone Burnett   Producer
Steve Holroyd   Engineer
David Lowery   Producer
John Dawson   Composer
Robert Hunter   Composer
Richard Hasal   Engineer
Karl Egsieker   Engineer
Michael Tighe   Photography
David Bryson   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Producer
Matt Malley   Composer,Group Member
Bill Flanagan   Liner Notes
Jason Gnewikow   Design,Art Direction
Jordan Schur   Executive Producer
Chris Roldan   Composer
Ben Mize   Composer,Group Member
Toby Hawkins   Composer
Gil Norton   Producer
Dan Jewett   Composer
Dave Janusko   Composer
Adam Ayan   Mastering
Patrick McCarthy   Mixing,Engineer
Steve Bowman   Composer,Group Member
Steve Lillywhite   Producer
Bob Ludwig   Mastering
Billy Bowers   Engineer
Jack Joseph Puig   Mixing
Counting Crows   Composer,Producer
Jackson C. Frank   Composer
Carl Glanville   Engineer,Producer
Ethan Johns   Producer
Dennis Herring   Producer
Lydia Holly   Composer
Charlie Gillingham   Composer
David Immerglueck   Composer,Group Member
Krish Sharma   Engineer
Scott Litt   Mixing
Joni Mitchell   Composer