Now that's not something you hear people say much these days. But the latest Black Crowes CD, Before the Frost, is one of the best rock and roll albums I've heard in a while, which means it has lots of guitars, good melodies, and driving rhythms.
The band recorded this album of new material in front of a live audience in Levon Helm's barn in Woodstock, New York. That they were recording where Helm, former drummer and singer for The Band, lives and works, may have influenced the Crowes. When they first appeared in the early 1990s, they were considered a modern version of the Faces. But lately, the band's sound has moved closer to some great American bands like The Band and Creedence Clearwater Revival. On the opener, "Good Morning Captain," I swear I hear Helm singing along.
To me, this is their best album since the early 1990s and definitely better than anything they've put out since 2000. The band is maturing, mixing in elements of bluegrass and country with their more traditional blues rock sound. Now it's fiddles and mandolins along with slide guitars and blues harp. And for the most part, they're keeping their songs tight—they've managed to reign in their desire to "jam til you drop" during these live shows. I don't care how long Chris Robinson grows his beard and how ratty his blue jeans get, this ain't 1975 and songs don't need to be eight minutes long.
When you buy Before the Frost, it comes with a passcode that will allow you to download another new album, Until the Freeze, something of a more a traditional American roots album. But it's roots music in the way the Stones played country — with a lot of respect for the traditions of the music but a good dose of rock 'n' roll energy and a bit of bluster.
So let's see—that's about $12.00 for a two-hour trip through americana with the Black Crowes. Sounds like a no-brainer.
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