…I don't care if it's "commercial" or not, this is THE summer record of 2002. The Counting Crows truly outdid themselves this time 'round. They exceeded the quality of their first album, August and Everything After, while crafting some catchy, uplifting music that few thought they could do so consistently.

From the opening drums of the title track, to the final notes of "Holiday in Spain," this record is their crowning achievement. Songwriter and lead singer Adam Duritz no longer seems to live for the sake of bringing YOU down with his sales of self-pity, no, he's self-pitying, but every song has an actual melody to it.

And according to an interview with CDNow.com, that's what he says was his goal this time: To write some good melodies. And he succeeds. This is a pure, out of the box summer album, with "good-time" sounding songs like "Hard Candy," "American Girls" and the epic "Up All Night" whose lyrics sometimes betray the "happy-go-lucky" sounds to stay with Duritz's writing style.

Of course, not everything is sunshine and lollipops… Lyrically, "American Girls" is a somewhat nasty song. "Good Time," "Carriage," and "Black and Blue" are extremely melancholy in all ways. But what would a Counting Crows album be without some sadness?

And the best songs come at the end: "Up All Night" is a semi-epic (I say "semi" because it's only a little more than 4 minutes long) that perfectly fits the mood of summer, complete with na na na's. And the quiet closer, "Holiday in Spain," has some fun lyrics.

So, this album is the kind of CD that can encompass all moods. Maybe even lift up your spirits at times. I truly believe that this is the Counting Crows' crowning achievement: An unadulterated pop record with Adam Duritz's masterful lyrics, finally embracing the fun of "Mr. Jones."