The Southern Harmony of the Black Crowes

In August 1992 my view of Classic Rock changed.  It did not have to be cut and dry or straightforward.  The music on that August 22nd was more then a quick time machine moment, it was what if concerts by the Rolling Stones, Humble Pie, The Faces, Mott The Hoople and others would have sounded like if they were to play a show that held a few thousand people.  It was not a place to be too big for the music, but for the music to be just right for it's size.  The band I saw was The Black Crowes.  In the Black Crowes early years, they were one of the coolest band playing on the radio and giving us a nice glimpse of what sloppy Rock and Roll would sound like back in 1971 or so.  A perfect double bill in 1971 would be The Faces and The Black Crowes.  It sadly never happen, but I could only imagine if these bands shared a stage together.

Southern Harmony and Musical Companion is quite an amazing piece of work.  It is a more mature Black Crowes compared to Shake Your Money Maker. It's a band that channeled all this music and still made it unique to their own while still making it sound vintage.  I love it and SHandMC is an album that gives us the speed and skill to pull anything they want to off and we are amazed.  For good measure they include a huge in tip of the hat to Bob Marley with the song "Time Will Tell."  Just like they did on the first album with a huge tip of the hat to Otis Redding.  I mean at that time very few bands would give a nod to two great musicians.

What was quite unique for The Black Crowes, was to go against the type and norms of 1992.  Grunge was very popular and they were not that, but what they were was band to remind us what music was to a generation who lived it and still loved it.  A prime example was Neil Young, sure he was the same old Neil Young, but to some people thought he kinda got off track.  The Black Crowes made you close your eyes and remember that Sticky Fingers was a damn' fine album and to us, that is what changed our lives.  

What I loved about SHandMC was how raw the album sounded.  I also liked the feel that we were in the studio with them.  It was recorded so well, and there was no two to three second pause between the songs like most albums have.  Each song flowed into the next with such ease and grace.  I loved it. I loved it so much I would play my cassette tape over and over again. I loved hearing the earthy sound that The Black Crowes would do.  I liked the original music they played and I loved the unique and lesser known cover of a Bob Marley tune.

The music felt more fresh then the previous, but it also felt good to hear the old school organ and the great 70's sound out of the guitars.  It was great to hear music that was of a period more then ever.  Classic being classic and boy it was pretty accurate of the time and even better it had a true stereo sound.  Hearing one guitar one channel and hearing the other on the other.  This album rocked from the beginning to the end.

After it's all said and done, this is the best Black Crowes album.  It's an album that has three singles, and the rest are great stand out tracks.  The rest of the songs can easily be put on another album and make a weak album stronger.  Chris and Rich Robinson take good old Classic Rock to a whole new level.  In the year 2020 they were supposed to tour and I as a big fan of the band were ready to see them again.  I haver saw any of the side bands they are both in, but I heard they were great.  One thing is for certain Southern Harmony and Musical Companion is an amazing album.  If any negative feelings I have about the album is that I wish there was more.  It seemed they had a lot of fun doing this and an album as rich and feel as any great early 1970's band that I mentioned above there should be more music.  Over time they created a nice little niche and for that they kept that great music alive.  I hope one day we get to hear them again in the studio and have as much fun if not more to create a classic such as this one here.  Enjoy!!