Collective Soul (1995 album)
{{Infobox album
| name = Collective Soul
| type = Album
| artist = Collective Soul
| cover = Collective Soul Self-Titled.jpg
| alt =
| released = March 14, 1995{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2wsEAAAAMBAJ&dq=collective+soul+march+14&pg=PA73 | title=Billboard | date=18 March 1995 }}
| recorded = October–December 1994
| venue =
| studio = Criteria (Miami)
| genre = Post-grunge, hard rock, alternative rock
| length = 46:10
| label = Atlantic
| producer = Ed Roland, Matt Serletic
| prev_title = Hints Allegations and Things Left Unsaid
| prev_year = 1994
| next_title = Disciplined Breakdown
| next_year = 1997
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Collective Soul
| type = studio
| single1 = Gel
| single1date = January 1995
| single2 = December
| single2date = March 17, 1995
| single3 = Smashing Young Man
| single3date = 1995
| single4 = The World I Know
| single4date = October 23, 1995
| single5 = Where the River Flows
| single5date = March 26, 1996
}}
}}
Collective Soul (sometimes referred to as the Blue Album to differentiate it from the second self-titled album) is the second studio album by Collective Soul. It became the band's highest selling album to date, going Triple-Platinum, and spent 76 weeks on the Billboard 200 charts. The singles "December," "The World I Know" and "Where the River Flows" all reached No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, while the first two singles also became major pop hits.
Frontman Ed Roland has considered Collective Soul the band's true debut album; Hints Allegations and Things Left Unsaid was intended more as a promotional demo and a means of acquiring a publishing contract for Roland who in 1995 noted, "It's so funny for people to compare the two. It's like comparing one band to another band. This record is our first record, flat out."Miller, Gerri [http://csbiggestfan.blogspot.com/2009/06/collective-souls-rabbit-twitterpation_11.html No One Hit Wonder, CS Shines With Album #2] Metal Edge (Spring 1995). Retrieved on February 7, 2010.
Production
Amidst the surprise success of "Shine," taken from the Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid demo recordings, Collective Soul insisted on remixing the songs for a higher quality re-release. However, they were told the time required for this would drain their momentum. The band were instead convinced they could begin recording a new, sophomore effort immediately after finishing their tour schedule.
The recording and mixing of Collective Soul took five weeks, a strained scheduled due to added concerts in late December 1994 which finished on New Year's Eve. Ed Roland wrote thirty-five songs in 1994 and recorded fifteen of them in the studio. Four more were written in the studio which allowed the band to disregard eight of the previous tracks. Lead guitarist Ross Childress helped write "Simple" and "The World I Know" which was greatly encouraged by Roland who wanted a band effort in the studio.
By the time "Smashing Young Man" was being recorded, drummer Shane Evans was on vacation and unreachable. This forced the band to loop a drum sample of his from a DAT before hiring a second drummer to improve it. After many takes, Roland was also disappointed with the final version of "Bleed" but liked the song too much to remove it from the record.
Mixing was completed in the first week of February 1995; mastering was finished on a Friday with the plants opened and the album delivered the next day. The band then went to New York City for a week of publicity and photo sessions.
Promotion and touring
Collective Soul opened for Van Halen during their Balance Tour which began on March 11, 1995, in Pensacola, Florida, and ended in May 1995. The band then performed at festivals in the United States before taking a break and then continuing with their own solo tour including club shows.
The band's self-titled release included five singles: "December," "The World I Know," "Where the River Flows," "Gel" and "Smashing Young Man." The three former tracks reached No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks charts and the first two became major pop hits. Music videos were also filmed for some singles and aired significantly on MTV.
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Demalon |first=Tom |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/r209244 |title=Collective Soul – Collective Soul |publisher=AllMusic |date=March 14, 1995 |access-date=February 10, 2012}}
| rev2 = Entertainment Weekly
| rev3 = Rolling Stone
| rev4 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide
| rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite book|chapter=Collective Soul|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|author-link=Rob Sheffield|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide|editor1-last=Brackett|editor1-first=Nathan|editor2-last=Hoard|editor2-first=Christian|publisher=Simon & Schuster|year=2004|edition=4th|isbn=0-7432-0169-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/180 180−181]}}
}}
In a feat similar to its predecessor, Collective Soul received positive reviews with praise handed to its strong melodies but also indifference for an alleged lack of musical innovation. Paul Evans of Rolling Stone gave the album 3 out of 5 stars. He noted "Roland's flair for McCartneyesque melodic detail" and summed up with "the band proves it has the goods to continue to shine on brightly."
AllMusic's Tom Demalon chose "The World I Know" and "Gel" as AMG Track Picks. He, too, commended the strong melodies and stated "While not exactly ground-breaking, Collective Soul delivers the goods with a dozen, hook-laden songs for which they were awarded another multi-platinum outing."
Track listing
All songs written by Ed Roland, except where noted.
{{Track listing
|title1 = Simple
|writer1 = Roland, Ross Childress
|length1 = 3:45
|title2 = Untitled
|length2 = 4:01
|title3 = The World I Know
|writer3 = Roland, Childress
|length3 = 4:16
|title4 = Smashing Young Man
|length4 = 3:45
|title5 = December
|length5 = 4:45
|title6 = Where the River Flows
|length6 = 3:35
|title7 = Gel
|length7 = 3:00
|title8 = She Gathers Rain
|length8 = 4:31
|title9 = When the Water Falls
|length9 = 3:40
|title10 = Collection of Goods
|length10 = 4:14
|title11 = Bleed
|length11 = 4:03
|title12 = Reunion
|length12 = 2:35
}}
{{Track listing
|headline = 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Collective-Soul-Collective-Soul/release/15726288|title=Collective Soul – Collective Soul (2020, CD)|website=Discogs}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Collective-Soul-Collective-Soul/release/15740158|title=Collective Soul – Collective Soul (2020, Turquoise Marble, Vinyl)|website=Discogs}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Collective-Soul-Collective-Soul/release/15718025|title=Collective Soul – Collective Soul (2020, Vinyl)|website=Discogs}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Collective-Soul-Collective-Soul/release/5094383|title = Collective Soul – Collective Soul (1995, CD)|website = Discogs}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.collectivesoul.com/news/craft-recordings-celebrates-the-25th-anniversary-of-collective-soul-with-a-deluxe-reissue-and-vinyl-pressing/|title=Craft Recordings Celebrates the 25th Anniversary of Collective Soul with a Deluxe Reissue and Vinyl Pressing|date=June 16, 2020}}
|title13 = That's All Right
|length13 = 2:09
|note13= Originally Bonus Track For Japan Only
|title14 = December |note14=Live at the Thunderdome, St. Petersburg, FL 1995
|length14 = 4:06
|title15 = Where the River Flows |note15=Live at the Thunderdome, St. Petersburg, FL 1995
|length15 = 3:41
|title16 = When the Water Falls |note16=Acoustic) (Live
|length16 = 3:40
|title17 = Bleed |note17=Acoustic) (Live at The Peak Lounge Denver, CO, 1995
|length17 = 4:02
|title18 = December |note18=Acoustic) Live at The Peak Lounge Denver, CO, 1995
|length18 = 3:25
}}
Personnel
Collective Soul:
- Ed Roland – lead vocals, guitars, producer
- Ross Childress – lead guitar, background vocals
- Dean Roland – rhythm guitar
- Will Turpin – bass, background vocals
- Shane Evans – drums
Additional musicians:
- Jackie Johnson – background vocals
- Bertram Brown – background vocals
- Becky Russell – background vocals
- Steven Sigurdson – cello
- David Chappell – viola
- Geremy Miller – violin
- John DiPuccio – violin
- Janet Clippard – contrabass
- Luis Enrique – percussion
Production:
- Matt Serletic – producer
- Greg Archilla – engineer
- Malcolm Springer – second engineer
- Bjorn Thorsrud – second engineer
- Tom Gordon – assistant engineer
- Bob Clearmountain – mixing
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1995–1996)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|Australia|23|artist=Collective Soul|album=Collective Soul|rowheader=true|access-date=November 27, 2021}} |
| {{album chart|New Zealand|1|artist=Collective Soul|album=Collective Soul|rowheader=true|access-date=November 29, 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|23|artist=Collective Soul|rowheader=true|accessdate=November 29, 2021}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|title= Collective Soul|artist=Collective Soul|type=album|relyear=1995|certyear=1996|region=Australia|award=Gold|access-date=November 28, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry|title= Collective Soul|artist=Collective Soul|type=album|relyear=1995|certyear=1996|region=Canada|award=Platinum|number=8|access-date=November 28, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=album|artist=Collective Soul|title=Collective Soul|award=Platinum|relyear=1995|id=1996-06-28|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|certyear=1996}}
{{Certification Table Entry|title= Collective Soul|artist=Collective Soul|type=album|relyear=1995|certyear=1996|region=United States|award=Platinum|number=3|access-date=November 28, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Collective Soul}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Albums produced by Ed Roland
Category:Albums produced by Matt Serletic