CD: "Youth" by Collective Soul; El Music Group.

Release: Nov. 16, 2004.

Style: Rock.

My take: Collective Soul, with its sometimes spiritual lyrics of the past, has been categorized as a Christian rock band by outsiders, despite never giving itself that label. Whatever the category, Collective Soul has survived for more than a decade.

Throughout the '90s, the band had a string of hits, including "Shine," "Heavy," "December" and "Gel." It is also noted for banging heads with its former record label, Atlantic. The band released a greatest hits compilation, "7even Year Itch," in 2001 to get out of its contract with the company.

Collective Soul emerged again in 2004 with a new guitar player, Joel Kosche, its own record label, El Music Group, and a new sound captured for the first time on "Youth," its first album on El, fifth album overall and first album since 2000's "Blender."

With its newfound freedom and direction, this isn't the Collective Soul you grew up on. This isn't the mid-'90s band that churned out heaven-praising pop-rock, but instead a stylish, modernized glam rock band. In other words, a better band.

"Youth" just doesn't sound like anything Collective Soul has ever done — it strays from the sound of anything on modern rock radio altogether. This isn't the kind of album aimed toward the youth of today's music scene but the younger music fan among the band's longtime listeners. There's a smooth, confident air in many of the songs, such as in "There's a Way." Driving guitar, big vocals and even the use of synthesized keyboard make this sound like '80s music meets grunge, packaged for a 2000 audience. "Better Now," the opening track, is the biggest pop song on the album. It, too, has the '80s sound, but also that driving-music quality that makes it a potential juggernaut single in the adult contemporary genre.

But no Collective Soul album is complete without a couple of ballads tossed in, including "Him" and "How Do You Love." These are the songs in which the band's new interest in grunge is more apparent, especially so in the alternative-riff heavy "Perfect to Stay," the best track of the album's slower material. Channeling a Gin Blossoms sound with the band's typical approach to ballads, it comes off as brooding and contemplative.

All fans of Collective Soul should check out this album. It's a far cry from previous material and that is its best quality, showing how much a change in scenery can help a band's creativity and direction. The pop songs such as "Gel" are gone and you're left with a collection of earnest songs performed by a band happy just to be performing.

Jeremy Castillo is a student at Windward Community College and the editor of the college's newspaper, Ka 'Ohana.

Have a CD you want to review? We're looking for hip-hop enthusiasts who can write about new music. Reach TGIF editor Debra Yuen at dyuen@honoluluadvertiser.com.