Warpaint by The Black Crowes is not a masterpiece, but it certainly is an album that Black Crowe fans, and fans of rock and roll, will love. Very much.
After waiting for seven years for an album of new material, it is certainly worth the time. The band hits on a number of different styles of music throughout the disc, but the object that holds them all together is the playing of the band. Of course we have the growl and guts and warmth of Chris Robinson’s vocals, but the solid sound of the band is simply what makes Warpaint work.
After hearing Goodbye Daughters Of The Revolution for months on the Crowe’s website, I was very familiar with that track and it was a good taste of things to come. Great slide, some grease on the axle, keyboards and a song that will become a mainstay within their live shows for as long as the Robinson Brothers keep this ship afloat.
Walk Believer Walk highlights the guitar of Luther Dickinson, and you can hear a bit of North Mississippi coming into the mix here. This track is followed by the longest song on the album, Oh Josephine. This is a gorgeous love song that really highlights the influences of people like Steve Marriott, or even The Faces, on these boys from Atlanta.
Evergreen and We Who See The Deep burn out with the two guitars of Luther and Rich Robinson dueling away with Chris doing his best Robert Plant sounding vocals throughout. The crunchy guitar and interplay is fantastic. It’s definitely worth looking forward to hearing them destroy a few eardrums when they play this one live in the next weeks in Australia.
With the new band members Adam Macdougall (keyboards) and Luther Dickinson (guitars) this manifestation of the band may be the best ever (sorry Marc Ford, I’ll send you a fax!). Luther and the Robinsons have toured with Luther’s band the North Mississippi All-Stars and the two guitarists and the rhythm section of Pipien (bass) and Gorman (drums) formed a band called Circle Sound in their spare time. Circle Sound are a band that wear their influences on the stage, performing songs by Neil Young, The Stones, The Band and Ry Cooder to name a few. Let’s hope they can find some more time for this project further up the road.
Locust Street and There’s Gold In Them Hills are two of the slower country ballads on the album, with Locust Street being much more of a country tune that could be covered by a much younger Rod Stewart. As you can see, the musical direction of The Crowes has not changed much. They are giving us what we want and it appears that they can still do it with their eyes closed. It certainly is easy pickings for these talented dudes.
Rounding off the album with the blues/gospel sound of God’s Got It, the funky Movin’ On Down The Line and the slow-burning Wounded Bird, we are left with just what the doctor ordered. Another Black Crowes album that should appeal to fans and lovers of roots-jam-rock and roll around the world.
