Chris Robinson Brotherhood - Barefoot in the Head

No dispatch notice as yet which is frustrating. Although saying that I am away until next w/e with no ability to play vinyl but when you have prime you expect amazon.uk to at least dispatch on release day.

I've liked songs on the last few releases rather than the whole album. Has to be said they are very productive, releasing a lot of material in quite a short time period. I'll see what my thoughts are when i finally get to listen.

Rumours of a Euro tour in 2018. Would definitely go see them again in London. Fingers crossed.

Maybe one day with The Crowes. Not for a while yet I suspect. The fact Chris is now open to playing the old Crowes tunes is an interesting turn.

 

Me too, that would be great. I had tickets to a London show many years back that never happened. Would be nice to see.

 

Interesting.

I personally think they have never equalled their first album "Big Moon Ritual" (though "Magic Door" came close). I note that "Magic Door" also spins at 45...

Looking forward to hearing the new one.

 

I`ve just listened to my BITH 2xLP. The sound is great and the songs are great. I hadn`t listened to any of the samples/full songs prior to listening so I didn`t have expectations, just hopes. I wasn`t let down. BITH is a beautiful album, period - as you Colonials say.

I prefer The CRB to The BCs, I may be in a minority with this view but who cares?

 

Put aside your expectations of CRB as a jam band and let your mind just take this one in and enjoy. The layers of instruments is just so pleasant. This is an outstanding LP.

Fine quality 2xLP 45 RPM pressing. Don't let the made in Czech Republic sticker scare you, this one sounds excellent. CRB packaging is always top notch, we just need them to start shipping in higher quality inner sleeves than the standard white paper one.

 

If only all of their releases were packaged like Betty's Blend Vol. 1...

 

I won't grab this vinyl (my player doesn't do 45!), but have all of the 2014 Thin Lizzy "Made In Czech Republic" records and they sound absolutely excellent!
I will enjoy this album on Tidal flac. Am surprised to have seen the CRB embrace streaming recently! Didn't see that coming.

 

great record. to me the tonality is more on the wise & wistful side and it feels overall more focused when compared to their other albums.

 

Excellent post and totally agree here. Personally, I think they made a huge mistake with too much touring in '06 and lost Eddie and Marc as a result when they should've taken some time to hunker down and record a new record. Luther and Adam were "OK" in their time with them, but it was yet another compromised situation for the band. They made do with what they had and still managed to create some good music, but it just wasn't quite the same as what could have potentially been with Ford and Harsh. Granted, Chris took Adam along with him in the Brotherhood in the wake of the band splintering once again and he's been faithful to his musical muse, but I've never been a huge fan of what he's done with it.

Rich, on the other hand, has completely surprised me with his last couple of solo albums and the Magpie Salute conglomeration is something that I've been much more in tune with; and the album that they've released, despite its inclusion of cover songs dominating, really displays the spirit and soul of the Crowes. I do believe that if and when they release an album of original material, it's gonna be good regardless of Chris' absence and while I would like to see a proper reunion someday, in the meantime, it's gonna be an interesting situation to witness what becomes of the current state of things.

 

I LOVE Big Moon Ritual. It's in the conversation for favorite or second favorite. I need more time with Barefoot in the Head, but for now my studio albums ranking looks like this:

1) Phosphorescent Harvest
2) Barefoot in the Head; Big Moon Ritual
4) The Magic Door
5) If You Lived Here You'd Be Home By Now (technically an EP I guess, but I include it among studio LPs)
6) Any Way You Love, We Know How You Feel

I love the Betty's Blends series, and the Try Rock & Roll EP, too.

Re: The Magic Door: I love Let's Go and Vibration & Light; really like Appaloosa (though I might still prefer the BTF version), Wheel Don't Roll, and Sorrows...; could take or leave Someday Past the Sunset; and actively dislike Little Lizzie Mae. I couldn't stand the latter as a BC song and still don't like it as a CRB tune, and they've played it virtually every time I've seen them live (along with Ride). I find the song entirely grating (along with Ride).

Echoing Almost Simon's post above, I like songs from AWYLWKHYF, but not the whole album. The songs I like I absolutely love (California Hymn, Leave My Guitar Alone), but the songs I don't like, well... the less I say about Oak Apple Day the better, LOL.

So far the only song I don't care for on Barefoot in the Head is Blue Star Woman. Going all the way back to Amorica, and up to this new CRB album, it seems I can always count on CR to deliver one song that just grates, for lack of a better word. Or maybe not. I love everything on Big Moon Ritual and Phosphorescent Harvest, front to back. I didn't care for Beggar's Moon at first, but I caught up with it over time. Those two albums are just about perfect to my ears.

Lastly, just want to reiterate what others have said for those on the fence about purchasing this new release. It sounds incredible. One of the best sounding albums I've heard in some time. I remember being worried and a bit disappointed when the CRB moved on from Thom Monahan after PH. But I was wrong. I love the sound and production of this album. The songs are great; the album is focused. I think it's an easy album to like. Give it a shot!

 

The Black Crowes are my all-time favorite band. But I love the CRB. I have tickets to see The Magpie Salute in Tulsa this October, and I can't wait to see Rich and MFF together again. I like Hogg well enough, and he seems like a cool dude, but it's still a bit of a challenge for me to hear anyone other than CR sings those songs. Those classic lyrics are just so idiosyncratic. That said, after watching several videos on Youtube, it might actually be Gorman that I miss the most. Magistro, like Hogg, seems like a cool dude, and I support him, but, nothing personal, he just isn't as talented as Steve. His fills can be rough, and he doesn't have that extra gear that Steve could unleash during peak moments in My Morning Song, Thorn in My Pride, etc. Again, I'm rooting for these guys, and I'm so excited to see them in October. I know I'm going to have a great time.

I just try to look at it this way: we have Magpie continuing to play the classic Crowes tunes (and they're really starting to dig deep: Bewildered, Exit, Bitter Bitter You (!)), while CR follows his muse and continues exploring new dimensions. I want a BC reunion as much as any die-hard fan. But CR has recently suggested that he can no longer sing some of those songs, at least not the high-powered, high-volume renditions. And, I believe him. I've mostly made peace with what happened. Not entirely, but enough to move on and enjoy all this great music coming from both camps.

 

I'm waiting on the vinyl from Amazon.co.uk but have listened on Spotify.

There's a lot to like here, less keyboard wizardry being one, but I still feel Chris is indulged a bit too much in this band. There's never a bad enough lyric for it to be cut or altered.

But hey, there's at least a few songs on each release that I love and given how often they come around, that's good for me.

The first 2 albums are my favourites but I buy them all and will always support anything these guys do. Been here too long to stop now!

 

Still waiting for my vinyl copy to arrive. Tried to listen on Spotify but couldn't handle the overly compressed mastering. Vinyl usually is better and I will have to wait.

 

Me too, this is driving me nuts. One CRB album 33rpm, the next 45, then back to 33?? What the hell is it and why? I know im the poorer for not yet getting a Project Debut Speedbox. Maybe this will be the album to finally force my hand, hope its comes with a download code otherwise i have no other way of listening.

Just a personal frustration. It should be 33rpm, the last E.P. was.

 

Barefoot in the Head is 45rpm and does not include a digital download code. The vinyl sounds incredible.

 

Indeed- the vinyl sounds very very good . . .

 

Good to hear the vinyl sounds good, I hope to get to hear this album soon-ish.

 

Can anyone report on the CD? I want the album digitally - I'm wondering if I should go CD or iTunes...

 

ha the way robinson delivers the lyrics on "hark, the herald hermit speaks" always reminds me of bob dylan.

 

I totally understand what you're saying and I'm glad that you can appreciate what's coming from both sides; believe me, I've honestly tried to "get" and enjoy what Chris has been doing with the Brotherhood and there are a few select numbers from the debut that I do like, such as Tulsa Yesterday and 100 Days of Rain, but, to me it's a coat-tail philosophy in chasing the sound of the Grateful Dead and sorry, but that's not what I liked about Chris all those years ago when Southern Harmony came out. Back then, he was carving his own niche within rock music and while he's technically still doing the same thing with the Brotherhood, the vibe of it doesn't wash well with me. And I love the Dead, but, I don't necessarily think that he's the second coming or carrying the torch per se, with the Brotherhood thing. I much more prefer his first solo phase with New Earth Mud and Paul Stacey then what's been happening with the Brotherhood and Neal Casal.

 

Yeah man! Even if my TT did play 45s, don't you have to flip the record every couple songs? I understand the sound improvement, but I'm just not into it. I like vinyl in most cases...but not for CRB due to this and pressing issues.

 

Instrumentation on this LP is great, lots of variation. It's also nice to have less "cosmic" keyboards and generally a more acoustic, barrelhouse sound.

I don't think a 2LP set is necessary for a 45 minute album but at least it sounds very good indeed.

 

I received my copy yesterday, and so far I'm loving it. Traditional acoustic sounds and psychedelic electronic atmospheres in perfect balance. "Blue Star Woman" is a true gem.

 

That does sound mad to me, having a double for a single length album. And yes, i know for sound quality some will not agree with me but having to change sides every 10 minutes just doesnt work for me. Regardless of sound quality I love vinyl and the whole 18-22 minute per side, i've got all their albums on vinyl but had i known i would've gone for the cheaper cd version.

Anyway, thats my last "grumpy" comment on the situation but just putting it out there to get off my chest. Alas we dont get to know this info when we pre-order.

I bought this months Uncut magazine, there is a track on their cover cd, Good To Know. I'm away at present, no access to cd or vinyl so will listen next week. Uncut review is good, 8 out of 10. "This might be the most satisfying CRB set since 2012's Big Moon Ritual."