On a warm and drizzly Halloween, the Black Crowes were at the end of a three-night stand at the Hammerstein Ballroom and in the middle of a NYC residency. While they may have left the tradition of a cover-set behind them, the Crowes brought blues and rock jams both old and new. However, the Atlanta natives made sure to also bring out their 70's influences like the Rolling Stones' "Torn and Frayed," Led Zeppelin's "Hey Hey what Can I Do," and Bob Dylan with the Band on their b-side "Ain't No More Cane On the Brazos." The band has spent a majority of 2008 supporting their self-released Warpaint and for the first time it's great to see Chris and Rich Robinson with a well-rounded collective of musicians. Their new record is a fresh take on a southern rock sound that picked up where they left off in 2005 with increased accessibility. Most noticeable is the addition of Luther Dickenson (North Mississippi Allstars) on guitar adding fiery slide and lead parts. While the show certainly was not a hit parade, they did sneak in "Remedy" and "She Talks to Angels." The crowd had a blase reaction to the later, as it has been road tested for their entire career (and is second in popularity behind their cover of Otis Redding's "Hard to Handle") Since then it seems to have lost some of its original fire. But, for many fans enjoying their first Crowes concert, the song was welcomed. A number of songs from Three Snakes And One Charm made it to the set including "Halfway to Everywhere," bringing the straight-up rock and roll, "Good Friday," a mellowed-out song of love gone sour, and the dark and spiritually themed "Evil Eye." Their acoustic efforts are just as good as their heavy hitters and "Whoa Mule," from the new album, featuring drummer Steve Gorman on djembe proved that. The show did not have a true highlight but contained multiple peak moments. The first set of them were in the ferocious run throughs of newer songs like "Evergreen," "We Who See the Deep," and "Wounded Bird," with Rich Robinson and Luther Dickenson in friendly competition for the tastiest guitar licks. The later half of the show jammed out earlier material like "Thorn in My Pride" and "Wiser Time" that brought the mid-tempo blues improvisations slow-burning moments, along with spaces filled by the keyboard runs of Adam MacDougal. In their two-hour plus performance the Crowes satisfied fans of jam, hard rock, and southern rock. All in all the Crowes still have it. Their new record, band configuration, and live performance outlook give the impression they will be kicking it for years to come on their own terms.
Be sure to check out www.liveblackcrowes.com to purchase soundboard downloads from their current tour and past performances.
FYI- To get a taste of the southern sound described above, the North Mississippi Allstars' newest release Hernando is available for loan at the Manhasset Public Library.
John Paul Leonardi
One-time Wilco collaborator and current folk-rocker Billy Bragg's latest effort, Mr. Love & Justice, opens with the piano driven and finger snapping "I Keep the Faith" It asks the listener "to just see it through," "go against the grain," and "endure," yet it is surprisingly filled with a saccharine sound that makes it a pleasure to do all of the above.Unfortunately, the same can not be said of the entire album. Bragg alludes to vignettes of life with his acoustic guitar such as departing the familiar, scolding cigarette makers, challenging politicians or revealing desires to return to country life. The lyrics make big attempts but never grab the listener. One of the CD's better moments comes when asking the whole town to join in on "Sing Their Souls Back Home," as organ and slide guitar happily collide into each other. Classic rock with a punk tinge emerges on "Something Happened," and a vibe eerily similar to The Band is on the title track. By the album's end two characters seem to emerge: Mr. Love or Mr. Justice and only you can pick the one that occurs more.
Do they have it all or too much? This question was repeatedly on my mind as I listened to Man Man's major label debut Rabbit Habits. To set up this review, the album is on Anti Records, a label known for doing everything far from conventionally. While Man Man's music is heavy on piano and horns, they manage to adopt a lot of Eastern influences along with rock, and even funk. Plenty of instruments occupy the record's sonic space like xylophone throughout "The Ballad of Butter Beans," percussion on "Mister Jung Stuffed," and even surf-style guitar on "Harpoon Fever (Queepeg's House)." "Doo Right," half-way through, shows elements of a ballad and thereafter slower tempos dominate the remainder of the album as on "Poor Jackie" and the waltzy closer "Whalebones."