Collective Soul, really, is an adult contemporary band cleverly disguised as a rock band (hey, Chicago could rock out every once in a while too), and their tried and true formula continues on their second self-titled album although once might suggest “tired and true” as any of the songs on this disc could have been lifted from any other Collective Soul album…aside from uncharacteristically unimaginative cover and heavier-than-usual reliance on sappy ballads (see “She Does” and “Hymn for My Father”) the disc is a predictably adequate listen, from the nearly-grating whistle gimmick applied to “Fuzzy” to the jarring unevenness of “Understanding” to the much more solid and sturdy “Welcome All Again” and “Dig”, it is – for better or worse – exactly what a Collective Soul album is expected to be.

Rating: 6.2 / 10

August 25, 2009
Roadrunner Records