Based out of Atlanta, Georgia, Collective Soul is a quintet that has been weaving huge threads in the fabric of rock music for nearly thirty years. Fronted by Ed Roland, they seem to have found their longevity in the cohesion of their current roster. “I mean, this is the band for the rest of my life. This is it, man,” Says Roland, in the band’s bio. The band’s eleventh album, Vibrating, is hotly anticipated after the chart success of its predecessor, Blood.
But when I think of Collective Soul, I think of their grunge rock classic “Shine,” a tune that always gets a volume boost whenever I hear that telltale riff and Ed Roland’s punctuated “yeah.” Alt-rock anthem “The World I Know” wraps you up tightly every day on mainstream rock radio. Underplayed classics “December” and “Heavy” remain retro treats whenever they pop up on the dial. But I didn’t follow them after the 90s because I broke up with rock and went into other musical directions, so I missed everything from 2000’s Blender all the way through their smash success See What You Started By Continuing. So it’s a treat to come back down to earth with fresh ears and listen to some mainstream rock.
Vibrating starts with “Cut The Cord,” which is a speedy guitar number that has me wondering if this is a welcome wagon for new listeners like me, coming in from our radio memories. And it’s a warm welcome, indeed. Ed Roland’s voice is crisp as ever. He’s got this crystalline vibration that is so uniquely his own. It is like ice on the wound permeating through Vibrating’s lyrical themes of love, reflection, and a desire for healing. The pace continues into “Reason” and I can suddenly imagine how dope Jesse Triplett’s guitar must sound like in a large setting, and I could kick myself for having missed them at the Paramount in Long Island earlier this month.
Vibrating’s songs are tender but still have a little bit of that heavy edge to remind you where they come from. Standout tracks like “Take” and “Undone” are sweet and full of that hopeful tone that make Collective Soul songs stand out from the rest of the noise. “Rule #1” is flavor bomb on the deep end of the strings. Then there’s “All Our Pieces,” where Collective Soul starts settling into more of an Americana type sound. I think there’s a little something for the soft rock and the grunge rock fans to share on each track.
Collective Soul fans have been anticipating this release for three years and I think they’ll realize that it was worth it. It’s great to see a band with this many iconic songs still growing into themselves and uncovering new territory. But I think a casual rock listener like me would find a treat in Vibrating just as well.
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