The Black Crowes – Warpaint

Details: 2008, Silver Arrow, CD

The more I hear this album, the more I realise I’m listening to an album that will rate highly when I compile my personal top 10 of 2008; either that or some damn fine releases are going to come along in the next six months to eclipse it.

The vehicle for Robinson brothers Chris and Rich, the Black Crowes have always been popular in the UK. Emerging from America at a time when many of their peers were seeing how big their hair could get and how little substance could be turned into record sales, The Black Crowes offered something altogether more palatable and lasting, merging 70s classic rock of the Stones, Faces, Zep and Lynyrd Skynyrd with an American upbringing encompassing gospel, blues and soul.  It’s seven years since the excellent “Lions” album and the new set marks the first release on their own label… and it’s a hell of a return.

“Goodbye Daughters Of The Revolution” is a superb opening number and lead off single. It’s not just the familiarity of it being the albums promotional single that marks it the albums highlight though, all that Stonesy swagger and superbly effortless delivery mark it as something of a throwback to “Remedy” off the excellent “Southern Blues And Harmony” album and it’s also somewhat surprising one of just a handful of really up-tempo songs on the disc.  “Evergreen” recalls the Faces at their best, “Wee Who See The Deep” just oozes 70’s rock power with a great guitar hook that has certain similarities to Zep’s “No Quarter” emerging from the smog, whilst the excellent “Wounded Bird” develops from a Who-like riff into another great boogie rocker that has a definite late-60s English sound to it. Of the more upbeat numbers though none ooze upbeat positivity more than “God’s Got It“.  Mixing stomping blues with gospel its the kind of song you feel only the hippie throwback Robinson’s could get away with.  It could of course be as easily construed as a pastiche on the over the top evangelists, I can’t make my mind up, but taken simply as a song its a blast that will be popular live.

The slower songs inevitably avoid the sweet love song theme.  The band who gave us “She Talks To Angels” aren’t going to go chasing a mainstream radio hit purposely now are they?  Instead “Walk Believer Walk” instead follows a Zeppelin-esq heavy, old style blues template, “Oh Josephine” proves to be a stunning gentle countrified ballad with Chris Robinson delivering a fine, raw vocal.  “Locust Street” is a superb acoustic song again sounding like a cross between a country-rock classic and an early Rod Stewart solo album inclusion.

The closing song is pure American southern blues.  As poignant and contemplative as “Daughters Of The Revolution” was strutting and territory reclaiming, “Whoa Mule” marks the impressive finale with harmonica drenched passages, mesmerising acoustic rhythm and memorable line of “we’re dirty but we’re dreaming”.

Significant personnel changes over the years have damaged the output from other bands but the Crowes just seem to get better.  Superior to “Lions” there simply isn’t a poor track on the album. Certainly its still that classic, trend ignoring Black Crowes sound, an earthy meeting of many different styles and influences, but whereas other bands seem to regurgitate their back catalogue somewhat after nearly 20-odd years , these guys manage to sound original, reinvigorated and inspired. It’s varied, more laid back than expected but oozes class in a way few bands of today can. It’s also the best album I’ve heard so far this year; not a poor song in sight.

Highlight: Goodbye Daughters Of The Revolution

Score: 4.5/5

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Promo clip for the superb single “Goodbye Daughters Of The Revolution“….

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BL

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