The new Counting Crows album “Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings” is significantly different from any album the band has put out before.

The album was released March 25, pushed back from its original November release date due to a heavy touring schedule, according to the band’s Web site.

Loyal fans fell in love with the mellow rock sounds the band created in the 1990s when it released the albums “August and Everything After” and “Recovering the Satellites,” both full of slow beats and heart-wrenching lyrics.

The new CD presents a heavier rock sound with edgy lyrics, reminiscent of guitar-screeching music from the 70s. Avid listeners might be turned off by “1492,” the first track of the album.

It is hard to believe the song was written by Counting Crows with the dark lyrics, “I bought a gun because it impresses all the little girls I see and then they all want to sleep with me,” and “come again into the dark Italian underground.”

The first half is full of hard rock sounds that are excessively forceful.

However, the tracks “Hanging Tree” and “Insignificant” have catchy melodies that offer a sigh of relief.

Lead singer Adam Duritz seems a bit self-righteous when he uses lyrics about becoming part of the Sistine Chapel in “When I Dream of Michelangelo.”

Thankfully, the second half of the CD is reminiscent of the band’s past work.

“Anyone But You” is a slow, melodic song about pain and heartache – a track that Crows listeners might expect to hear and can look forward to.

A soft love song that gives justice to the band’s artistic side is “Le Ballet d’Or,” which includes the lyrics “all a love needs is to be believed in.”

It is easy to be critical of “Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings” when comparing its songs to great accomplishments like “Long December” and “Mr. Jones.” These soulful songs gained mass media attention and attracted a huge fan base.

Counting Crows listeners will have to adjust to the new sound, which might take some time, but there are definitely songs on the album worth listening to.

And what do die-hard fans expect anyway? This is the first album the band has put out in over five years.

Jackie Nash can be reached at [email protected].