Youth (2004)

Being cool isn't everything. Just ask Collective Soul. Because they arose during the peak of mid-'90s grunge, their happy brand of alterna-pop turned off music snobs of every stripe. But they still had hits, and Youth — the band's first CD in four years — shows they've retained their flair for shiny hooks and singable melodies. Shorn of their original context, Soul can now be seen for what they've always been: pop craftsmen with panache.