Casual Viewin' USA is a slightly complicated product: it's basically a butchered version of 54-40's 2000 release, Casual Viewin', where several album cuts were lopped off and replaced with older singles, like the sorta hit I Go Blind and Since When. The marketing technique is simple -- Nettwerk America felt that by putting 54-40's most-recognized songs onto the new album, American fans (who have long ignored the band) would buy it as they would a greatest-hits compilation. Well, not quite. Many of the singles included are a decade old or more, so they feel out of place next to the new tracks, which are largely competent but workmanlike. And apart from I Go Blind, which Hootie the Blowfish made into a hit a full five years earlier, none of these songs will really be recognizable to a casual audience anyway. And 54-40 fans -- of which there are many -- will have no use for this hacked-up release and will probably opt for the original Canadian version of the album. To top that off, in early 2002 the band pumped out a proper singles collection, and even though that was Canadian-only, it renders this release virtually useless. In regards to what remains of the Casual Viewin' album itself, most of the cuts are fairly pleasant though undistinguished roots rock, punctuated by a few memorable singles like Blue Sky and the title track. The concept, while kind of incomprehensible in this version of the release, is somewhat interesting; the band set out on a worldwide journey armed only with video cameras to find inspiration for the record. It sounds more like #Road Rules than a rock band, but that's where this late-career release gets its charm and perspective. But the Casual Viewin' USA version of the album serves only as an inexpensive introduction to 54-40 that includes the "hits" but plays like an album; neophyte fans willing to invest more money will want to go the greatest-hits route with Radio Love Songs and hardcore fans will want the Casual Viewin' album in its original format. ~ Jason Damas, Rovi

1		Casual Viewin'
2		Since When
3		I Go Blind
4		Blue Sky
5		Lies to Me
6		Baby Ran
7		One Gun
8		Ocean Pearl
9		Love You All
10		Nice to Love You
11		She's a Jones
12		Sunday Girl
13		Lost & Lazy