Following a four-year hiatus and three years of touring with old material, lead singer Chris Robinson invited everyone to come join the jubilee"" on the Black Crowes' newest creation, Warpaint - an album that shines with reenergized soul.
Although concerns arose among the Crowes faithful that the delay of a new album meant the band was washed up and fading away to has been status, Warpaint reveals Chris and Rich Robinson are still in their songwriting prime. These self-proclaimed ""brothers of a feather"" have combined their complementary musical talents once again to produce greatness.
Along with original drummer Steve Gorman, long-time bassist Sven Pipien and the additions of Adam MacDougall on keys and Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi All-stars on lead guitar, the Crowes have embraced their southern roots more than ever to create an album with a colorful blend of rock, blues, soul, country and gospel.
Warpaint kicks off with ""Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution,"" a rocker that serves as a fitting transition into the Crowes' new sound. Although the song has the classic rock rhythm that defined their multi-platinum debut album Shake Your Money Maker, it also contains a touch of country twang the Crowes expanded and perfected throughout the record. ""Oh Josephine"" and ""Locust Street"" resemble the country tunes on the Rolling Stones' Beggars Banquet, yet the sound comes off as more authentic and natural to the Georgia-raised Crowes and fits Chris' aged voice perfectly.
Chris' lyrics are lackluster on the more fast-paced ""Evergreen"" and ""Wounded Bird,"" but he hits his poetic stride within the softer melodies. On ""Oh Josephine,"" the elder Robinson - who recently underwent a well-publicized divorce with actress Kate Hudson - expresses heartbreak and self-destruction, singing, ""For awhile I was kneeling in tears and powder.""
Despite the hardships, he suggests he will find redemption through music, adding he's ""just looking for the song to set me free."" The compositional work of Rich Robinson accompanied by Dickinson's impressive slide and solo guitar brings the album's confessional lyrics to life and provides great potential for live jams.
While Warpaint highlights the softer side of the
Crowes, it also shows why their stage performances are revered. The album ranges from the funky groove of ""Walk Believer Walk"" to a stomp rendition of the late Rev. Charlie Jackson's gospel blues number ""God's Got It"" and ends with a backwoods, bluegrassy ""Whoa Mule"" featuring Chris' harp.
The most inspiring track for cranking up the volume is ""Movin' on Down the Line"" which slowly builds up a psychedelic introduction before exploding into an upbeat chorus and some of the album's most memorable guitar work. With only one misstep - the overly simplistic and cheesy ""Evergreen"" - Warpaint sustains great flow and provides an enjoyable balance of different genres.
Eighteen years of true rock 'n' roll life on the road have left their marks, and the Crowes have matured. Chris' voice lacks the limitless range of his adolescence, but it is as soulful and passionate as ever. The Crowes have also given a new direction to his music, and Warpaint departs from the consistent hard rock sound of their previous six albums, emphasizing the band's ability to evolve and experiment.
The Crowes' musical journey that started in the late 1980s has survived a hiatus, brief Hollywood fame and another lineup change to resurface with focus and variety. With Warpaint, the Black Crowes have found new life and, hopefully, the motivation to continue a culture of rock 'n' roll that has long been disregarded and forgotten by the mainstream music industry.
