CD of the Day, 10/1/08: Todd Herfindal-Collective

It's always a treat to get great music from an unexpected source, and after The Meadows put out their fine First Nervous Breakdown earlier this year, I figured that we'd hear from them again in a couple of years. But the wait only took about 8 months, as Meadows co-frontman Todd Herfindal has released his solo debut, and it's of a piece with the two Meadows disc, especially First Nervous Breakdown.

Collective is a bit of logical progression from the first two Meadows discs, as Breakdown was a bit more roots rock-oriented than the debut, and here Herfindal goes full bore into the Gin Blossoms-meet-Tom Petty vibe. This becomes apparent right off the bat with the ebullient "Air I'm Breathing" which shows off his melodic gifts in a heartland rocker that even features some tasteful horn backing. "Finally Movin' On" demonstrates the knack Herfindal had for the big chorus that he showed in The Meadows, and the laid-back "Waiting on the Sun" continues the Midwest-meets-California vibe. Elsewhere, standouts include the mildly Beatlesque "Forget It All Again", the rocking "Jaded" and the ballads "Won't Look Back" and "This Is a Love Song". Collective closes in grand fashion with "If I Hesitate", an anthemic number that starts off slow and builds to a big payoff. If you enjoyed either of The Meadows' two releases, this one's a no-brainer.

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CD of the Day, 2/12/08: The Meadows-First Nervous Breakdown

At the risk of sounding too technical, it can be said that some artists just have "it" - "it" being a certain sound, or a way of coming across that sounds natural, effortless, and authentic. The Meadows have "it", and their sophomore release First Nervous Breakdown is more of their radio-friendly pop/rock that you'd hear on the radio if it were friendly to independent pop/rock acts.

Following up on 2005's excellent self-titled debut, this San Francisco band ups the ante here with 10 gems that will appeal across the pop/rock/country spectrum from fans of Oasis to The Jayhawks to The Gin Blossoms, etc. Opener "Knowing Don't Change a Thing" is emblematic of their sound, in a kind of a Tom Petty-meets-The Rembrandts way. "Wheels on the Road" is enjoyable country rock with a chorus reminiscent of "Already Gone", while "Paralyzed" is a slow-building piano ballad that reminds of the some of The Nines' slower numbers. Meanwhile, "Give It Up" wears its anthemic Oasis sound on its sleeve, "Take Me Down" is top-shelf jangle pop, and the closer "Forever California" truly embodies the sound of their home state. An instant top 10 of 2008 contender.

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