two-LP sets. Anyone else remember when most albums lasted about 40 minutes because that’s all they could fit into the grooves? The CD changes that standard in an instant, and now, as we finally revert back to that warm analog sound, most al- bums have to be pressed on two discs because the CD’s held much more music. When The Black Crowes burst onto the scene
in 1990, nobody knew what to make of these Southern rockers. They blended a Faces / Rolling Stones / Humble Pie blues rocking vibe with a rock ethic of “less is more,” that brought them fans as diverse as Deadheads, Metal lovers and Southern Rockers. Fronted by brothers Rich and Chris Robinson,
The Black Crowes dropped their debut, Shake Your Money Maker, in 1990, selling more than five million copies worldwide, and establishing them as a band on the rise. Their sophomore release, The Southern Har-
mony and Musical Companion, came out at the height of the whole Grunge Rock scene in 1992, and once again, they garnered new fans from the Grunge collective. The second album featured more of their retro rock sound, and dove head long into some blues to boot. For their next act, The Crowes worked their
asses off to record an album (Tall) that would be shelved due to band infighting, and instead, they would record and release Amorica in 1994, to a warm reception. The album has been out of print since its original release in 1994 as a single album when the album’s original cover image – a close- up photo taken from a seventies’ issue of Hustler magazine of women’s crotch clad in an American flag bikini-thong with pubic hair spilling over the top – caused some major controversy. Some re- tailers refused to stock the album, and a toned- down version was produced. Anti-censorship fans (myself included) will be thrilled to see that the original photo has been revived for this reissue. Three Snakes and One Charmwould follow in
1996, with an entirely different approach that began the downfall of The Black Crowes. Not that Three Snakes is bad, it’s just, well, very different. The first two albums came out on Rick Rubin’s
Def American label, the latter pair after Rubin changed the label’s name to American Record- ings, and all four reissued albums were made with lacquers cut directly from the master tapes.
Vinyl is back, fellow babies, and I for one could not be happier.
-Michael Buffalo Smith
Brothers Brown Dusty Road (Funky Joint) Listening to the debut album, Dusty Road,
from Brothers Brown, puts a big smile on my face and makes me long for summertime, when out- door concerts are in season. Thankfully that time of year is just around the corner. This bluesy, jam-friendly band is fronted by two gentlemen named Paul Brown: one, a double Grammy-win- ning producer/guitarist/singer/songwriter from Los Angeles, the other, a Grammy-nominated producer/keyboardist/songwriter from Nashville. The other two members, bassist David Santos, and drummer Pete Young make for an outstand- ing rhythm section. This is a really tight group of musicians. When I first heard the song “Cup of Tea”, I
couldn’t help but notice the Allman Brothers and Widespread Panic influence. It’s pure southern boogie with tasty electric guitar licks and a rich organ accompaniment. The driving beat and funky rhythm of “Hurricane” is such a rejoicing sound, it should have a label that reads, “Warn- ing! Listening to this song could lead to the loss of shoes and uncontrollable urges to dance”. Lit- tle Feat guitarist Paul Barrere guests on this track to lay down some delicious slide. They score big on “The River” too. This powerful song about re- visiting the past is comfort music for the soul. I love the slow soulful groove of “Love Sake”. It’s a perfect song for chilling, relaxing and swaying. Poignant songwriting, stellar performances,
and a whole lot of heart and soul is what makes Dusty Road such a pleasurable listen. I’ll surely be keeping my eyes out for Brothers Brown in concert now.
-Phillip Smith
Please visit Phillip’s Music Blog at
www.philly-
cheezeblues.blogspot.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79