Counting Crows are set to release their first new studio material in more than six years with the upcoming release of “Somewhere Under Wonderland.”
amNewYork had a chance to catch up with frontman Adam Duritz as he dishes on the new record, what it’s like working with the band’s new label, Capitol Records, and what he thinks Counting Crows owe their fans.
What can fans expect with “Somewhere Under Wonderland”?
My friends who are songwriters have been freaking out over it. The songs are written from a completely different perspective. They’re a lot more story than confessional. They’re very emotional but less personal and confessional. I don’t know how to describe it, but it feels a lot different for me. The opening song is 8½ minutes long. It came off great in concert when we played them.
What are some of the standout tracks on the album?
There’s only nine songs on the record and some of them are long. I think “Palisades Park” is the best song I’ve ever written. It feels like a live improvisation kind of written into the song. It’s going to be the first thing anyone ever hears on the record. And that was Capitol’s idea, which was why I was so excited to work with them to begin with.
Why the move to Capitol Records?
Capitol really impressed me with how up-to-date they were. I was really impressed with their thinking. Capitol are really trying to establish themselves as a label that is really creative.
Your breakout debut “August and Everything After” is now 20 years old. Do you feel pressure to play older material during your concerts?
You owe [the fans] a really good show every night. But you don’t owe them a set list. Playing a song you don’t want to play, that is the surest way to ruin a song for yourself. I would hate to start hating “Mr. Jones” because I love that song, but I could see how you’d get tired of it. I’m not, because we don’t play it every night.
If you go: Counting Crows are at Rumsey Playfield Monday at 6 p.m., enter park at 69th Street and Fifth Avenue, 212-360-2756, sold out
