Somewhere Under Wonderland
by Counting Crows
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 21 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 21
  3. Negative: 2 out of 21
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  1. mannyo
    Sep 5, 2014
    10
    Seriously? Someone just compared Adam Duritz's writing to Tom Delonge's writing. What a joke. This album IS different lyrically than Counting Crows' past work, so obviously you didn't give it much listening time. If you are a Counting Crows fan you will love this album. No matter which of their albums you've loved in the past. This one is a taste of all of them. Incredible songwriting.Seriously? Someone just compared Adam Duritz's writing to Tom Delonge's writing. What a joke. This album IS different lyrically than Counting Crows' past work, so obviously you didn't give it much listening time. If you are a Counting Crows fan you will love this album. No matter which of their albums you've loved in the past. This one is a taste of all of them. Incredible songwriting. Some of their best work ever. Just amazing. Enjoy.… Expand
  2. bhartman36
    Sep 9, 2014
    10
    This is the best album the Counting Crows have produced since Recovering the Satellites.

    I can't find any filler on this album. Yes, there are songs I don't particularly care for ("Elvis Went To Hollywood"), but there are no "WTF?!" moments. There's no equivalent to "New Frontier" (from Hard Candy) or "A Tuesday in Amsterdam Long Ago" (from Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings"). The    This is the best album the Counting Crows have produced since Recovering the Satellites.

    I can't find any filler on this album. Yes, there are songs I don't particularly care for ("Elvis Went To Hollywood"), but there are no "WTF?!" moments. There's no equivalent to "New Frontier" (from Hard Candy) or "A Tuesday in Amsterdam Long Ago" (from Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings"). The band plays its ass off on each and every song.

    If you're a fan of the band, one of the first things you'll notice is that many of the songs are more abstract than the songs Adam Duritz usually writes. "Elvis Went To Hollywood" and "Scarecrow" both leave me scratching my head as to what they're about. But I still enjoy "Scarecrow".

    To me, the standout tracks are "John Appleseed's Lament" and "Possibility Days". Either of these is easily worth the price of the whole CD. So just consider the others a bonus. :)    … Expand
  3. bragwellbilly
    Sep 4, 2014
    9
    Great Album. REFRESHING to hear in the current state of folk-rock/acoustic folky stuff that is popular at the moment.... Its full of Electric Guitars and the best work they have done since This Desert Life for sure, maybe even recovering the satellites. Pallisades Park could be the best song he's ever written.
  4. jota08
    Jul 14, 2018
    10
    This is the best they've published since Recovering the Satelites, it's Counting Crows back on top.
    Every song is good, and they are all different. The opening song Palasides Park is amazing, listen to it till the end and dont be scared by its 8min running time.
    The last song, for me, is up there with A Long December. Everything in between those songs is just incredible, good quality    This is the best they've published since Recovering the Satelites, it's Counting Crows back on top.
    Every song is good, and they are all different. The opening song Palasides Park is amazing, listen to it till the end and dont be scared by its 8min running time.

    The last song, for me, is up there with A Long December. Everything in between those songs is just incredible, good quality music and lyrics. It is worth a full listen over and over again.
    Dont listen to the haters, Counting Crows is back.    … Expand
  5. jbs51
    May 4, 2018
    7
    I don't think there is such a thing as a "great" Counting Crows album. Even their best albums (the 1st three in my opinion) had songs that dragged. However, every Crows album does have a few songs in it that are absolutely inspired. This one is no exception. The band is going for a more folky, roots-rock kind of sound on this one, even going full country in one of their songs. MusicallyI don't think there is such a thing as a "great" Counting Crows album. Even their best albums (the 1st three in my opinion) had songs that dragged. However, every Crows album does have a few songs in it that are absolutely inspired. This one is no exception. The band is going for a more folky, roots-rock kind of sound on this one, even going full country in one of their songs. Musically they're very tight as a group, but no one individually in the band is particularly outstanding. Duritz is lyrically one of the best songwriters I know of, and he and the band have the uncanny ability to make the words of the song and the sound of the music fit absolutely perfectly together. Highlights of the album include "Cover Up the Sun," "God of Ocean Tides," and "Possibility Days." Twenty years after their first album, the band is still trying new things but still retaining their identity as the Counting Crows. If you're a Crows fan, you'll like this album. If you're a lyrics hound, you have to give Duritz a listen because he is just so damn good at writing I can't believe it. If you like that roots-rock feel, then at least give it a shot. This album only has about one dud song in it and the rest range from OK to truly amazing. These guys still have good new music left in them, which is quite rare to say for a band that made their debut in 1991.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
74

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Classic Rock Magazine
    Dec 17, 2014
    70
    Somewhere Under Wonderland isn't a revolution, but it is assured, interesting and quietly experimental in its own way. [Oct 2014, p.94]
  2. PopMatters
    Oct 2, 2014
    70
    Don’t try to call it a comeback or a resurgence or some other dismissive, backhanded compliment, because between August and Recovering The Satellites, they got better. Between Recovering The Satellites and This Desert Life, they got better. Ditto for Hard Candy and then ditto for Saturday Nights. The best part about Somewhere Under Wonderland? Yes, that trajectory keeps its pace, but it also assures anyone still listening that in 21 years, that story probably won’t be any different.
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  3. Record Collector
    Sep 17, 2014
    80
    It contains some of the band’s most ambitious and thought-provoking songs.
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