I have to admit that I really like the way that the Black Crowes have reinvented themselves by embracing their southern roots since reuniting back in 2005.
As evidenced by last year's excellent comeback record Warpaint, the Robinson brothers have all but shed the big arena-rock trappings of their Shake Your Money Maker days, by becoming more of a modern-day southern-fried rock 'n' soul band.
In much the same way that the old Crowes wore their Faces and Humble Pie influences proudly on their sleeves, the current incarnation of the band threads a similarly fine line between the blues and gospel feel of Exile On Main Street-period Stones, and the more down-home feel of someone like Delaney & Bonnie Bramlett.
What the Crowes did with Warpaint was resurrect the way that the original southern rock sounded, long before it was hijacked by all those seventies bands trying to sound like the Allman Brothers or Lynyrd Skynyrd. In the process, they also resurrected themselves as a band, with the results speaking for themselves.
As much as I liked Warpaint though, I also have to admit that the album didn't really stick with me all that long. As much as the Crowes succeeded in putting the soul back where it belonged in any self-respecting southern rock stew, the songs, with few exceptions, just weren't all that memorable.
On Warpaint Live, the Black Crowes bring those songs to the concert stage, along with a few well-chosen covers like the Stones' "Torn And Frayed," Delaney Bramlett's "Oh, Elijah," and Eric Clapton's "Don't Know Why" (the latter two of which, not coincidentally, were concert staples for the Bramletts when Clapton was part of their touring band). In doing so, the Black Crowes give rise to their southern roots in such a way as to suggest that this may the real Southern Harmony And Musical Companion.
Article comments
1 - captain amorica
Just a note, most of the slide leads that your hear are played by the great Luther Dickinson. Dickinson's playing can be heard on both of the Crowes's Warpaint offerings and in the North Mississippi Allstars.
2 - Val King
Wow! What a GREAT article. Exceptionally researched and well-written. I've been listening to this all day and screwing around w/ writing a review...but why bother? You nailed it.
3 - Stu
"No memorable songs?" - I don't know about your taste in music, but the songs that I like instantly fade away quicker and more permanently than those that take a few listens to really grasp where the artist is coming from and trying to accomplish. "Loose and sloppy"? Those words have never been appropriate for a review of their live shows - go see more than one as anybody can have an off night. "Who knew they could swing like this?" - anyone who has seen them twice, festival shows not included. ANY fan of the Crowes will attest to this. You are right about one thing, though, they have never sounded better.