Talk about local boys made good! Collective Soul burst onto the national scene back in 1993, when the band released its debut album Hints, Allegations and Things Left Unsaid, featuring the #1 hit Shine. The release, composed of frontman Ed Roland’s demos, quickly went double platinum and garnered a faithful cult following not only in Atlanta but across the country and beyond.

Fast forward to late 2009 when Collective Soul released its eighth studio album and the first that the quartet wrote as a collaborative effort by Ed Roland, Dean Roland, Will Turpin and Joel Kosche. The self-titled release is packed to the brim with what has come to be known as the group’s signature sound – Roland’s easily recognizable raspy vocals, unforgettable melodies and guitar driven songs.

The current hit single, You, is easily indicative of that sound and is a definitive statement that all the guys in Collective Soul are multitalented songwriter/musicians. Other songs shine as well, including, Dig, a hard driving rock anthem that is sure to have fans on their feet at the band’s upcoming Chastain Park appearance and, Fuzzy, a melodic, singable tune featuring some extremely catchy whistling by the crew. Trust us, Threaders, this song will force you to learn to whistle if you didn’t already master that talent as a child. The album ends on a hypnotic and sobering note with the piano driven Hymn for My Father, a song that will pull you in immediately and stop you dead in your tracks. We can see the sea of lighters already.

Truth be told, there’s not a disappointing track on the whole album. In fact, the most recent musical offering from Collective Soul isn’t so much a departure from its sound but, rather, a welcome addition to, and expansion of, the band’s catalog. After all, you can’t fix what ain’t broken.

Tickets are on sale now for Collective Soul’s upcoming show at Chastain Park Amphitheatre, June 23. Another local band, The Less, will be opening, and Uncle Kracker will also be playing some hits.