Black Crowes Recommendations

One of the few decent songs on "Before the Frost..." Good God, that album sucked.

 

Of all time. Easily.

 

Southern Harmony, Shake Your Moneymaker and Amorica in that order. Greatest Hits 1990-1990 gives a good overview. After that, it is the law of diminishing returns. I made my own expanded version of Greatest Hits. This is my Disc 2:

1. Sister Luck
2. Seeing Things
3. Waitin' Guilty
4. Sometimes Salvation
5. Hotel Illness
6. Darling of the Underground Press
7. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
8. Gone
9. High Head Blues
10. Tied Up And Swallowed
11. Under A Mountain
12. Evil Eye
13. Then She Said My Name
14. Virtue And Vice
15. It Must Be Over
16. Midnight From The Inside Out
17. Lickin'
18. Soul Singing

 

Glad this thread was revived.

Just played Lions the other night. About to pop in By Your Side.

I stick with my post a year or two ago...I genuinely love every single album by the Black Crowes. Imo, a totally underrated catalog. Before the frost... + Warpaint. Just aces (imo) - all of em.

 

There isn't phase of the band I don't like and even the shows I saw on the final European tour were pretty wonderful. Music stand or no music stand.

So while on the one hand you definitely need the first two albums from there I would steer you to the final trio of releases. Warpaint, Freeze - Frost and Croweology. They are all well worth checking out and represent an under-appreciated balancing act between the drive of the original band, the Jam Band era and a more explicitly Country Rock direction. Though I say that as someone who thought Luther was a fantastic and wholly progressive addition. Not necessarily a common view among people who were all-in from the beginning!

Of the sequence of albums made during the "difficult" years you actually might be ok with just owning Tall / Band from that era. Especially if you pick off the key songs from the other four albums by acquiring some live sets. With that in mind I would definitely recommend the six album digital-only release of the Fillmore run from 2010. Very nicely recorded, wide-ranging set lists, loads of covers and some fantastic singing and playing. There are better shows out there for sure but listening to a run like that as a body of work is a great immersive experience.

 

I’ve had the Sho Nuff box set for years, always been convinced that’s all I need. I might be picking up The Lost Crowes, as my favourite album is Amorica.

 

I second this recommendation. Those were all three-hour shows, 1st set acoustic, 2nd set electric, and with themed encores: Delaney & Bonnie, Beatles, blues, The Band, Neil Young, and Rolling Stones! Glad I was there for the whole run... Great vibe, incredible setlists, fantastic performances. How I miss that band!

 

Link to buy?

 

They were an iTunes exclusive. All six shows are still there for individual purchase. Normally I would expect to find them on nugs.net as well but no such luck so it is Apple or nothing. At least nothing legal at any rate.

 

My ultimate BC "box-set" collection would be their 5 shows in Hollywood at the Fonda theater in 2005, October 18, 19, 21, 22, 23. As you can see from the links I embeded in there, the set-lists speak for themselves - Ford on lead, Gorman, Ed... essentially the Crowe's best line up. I was at all 5 shows, and I have the CDs that were pressed at the shows for all 5 nights. They're soundboard, and sound alright - but it would be amazing if they gave these recordings a proper mastering and officially released them, as it would be one of the best live box-sets of all time, IMO.

Here's the audio from the 5th night...

 

Second that sentiment!

 

100% agree! I would also add Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes At The Greek. Great stuff!

 

I prefer Shake Your Money Maker and The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. I feel there is more of an overt Stones/Faces/Humble Pie influence on those.

 

No doubt about that! You get more of that with the first album, which I dearly love. To put the first three in order, for me it's:
Southern Harmony and Musical Companion
Amorica
$hake Your Moneymaker
...but that's a real tight race. Picking one would be very difficult. ;o)

 

I say get it ALL and that includes the solo material by both brothers as well. Musical geniuses no doubt and have left a vast discography and incredible legacy!! My all time favorite would still probably be Southern Harmony followed by Amorica but fantastic albums all over the place. Before The Frost was a standout for me as well as Croweology for Later day offerings. I’m listening to Brothers of A Feather vinyl right now with a big smile on my face!

 

Can we get f’n Lions on vinyl please!

 

I was going to point you to the existing pressing, but I just looked on Discogs and the lowest priced is $280. Ouch! I have this, but had no idea it was going for that much. I'd list mine, but then I'd hate if it sold.

 

They’re also streamable on Apple Music.

my expectations were tempered by how lame Warpaint was, but even then I was so disappointed. Not really into the Crowes trying to be a mellow singer-songwriter thing.

 

If/when RSD happens this year, Lions is set to be released as an ‘RSD First’ release... so it could be soon (or never)

 

I think around $100-125 was the most I ever paid for a single vinyl and on a few different occasions. $280
though is far too steep. I’m sure we’ll eventually see By Your Side and Lions on vinyl again.

 

Anything except "By Your Side" and "Lions", leave those two until last.

 

Bumping this thread. What is the overall feeling about The Black Crowes Live album? At the time of release, I heard mixed reactions about it.

 

This one?


Thoroughly "meh" for me. Rich was too loud in an already far too loudened mix and it was missing Ford.
Their best official live release is Freak N' Roll.

 

I like the first 3 Black Crowes albums, but my favorite is Croweology, on vinyl.

 

Wouldn’t recommend that one. It’s drawn from the last two shows of the 2001 tour, & the band sounds like a tired shadow of itself. Add in a terrible (Rich Robinson assisted) mix, judicious auto-tune on Chris Robinson’s vocals, & the fact that it was a contractual obligation to the record company since the band went on “hiatus”...just not worth your time unless you’re a hardcore fan.