Black Crowes Release 2 Songs From Upcoming ‘Southern Harmony & Musical Companion (Super Deluxe)’

Oh my, now we’re talkin’ ’bout the good stuff!!

It was about two and half years ago that the Black Crowes, perennial favorites around here at B&V, put out a 30th Anniversary Edition of their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker. It was a great little package of the original album, outtakes/b-sides and a full concert from that tour. But then I love that album and debut albums in general. In 1992, the Black Crowes followed up that landmark 1990 debut by defying the “sophomore slump” and delivering an even better album with The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion. That’s often a difficult thing to do. So many bands have foundered on the rocks of the “difficult second album,” as Bono described it in his Rock Hall of Fame acceptance speech. And indeed, U2 is a prime example of the sophomore slump. There’s a cliche in rock music that goes: you have your whole life to write your first album and six months to write and record your second one.

I was still watching MTV in 1992, although at the time I was going through that successful period of life known as “moving back in with your parents,” and I know they didn’t have MTV. My dad would barely spring for basic cable. Anyway I saw the Crowes lead singer Chris Robinson being interviewed and he said something along the lines of, “We just set up and played live in the studio… we wanted to be eyeball to eyeball and just vibe the thing.” I thought that was cool but was still worried… I really liked these guys and I wanted them to succeed. I tend to root for rock bands the same way some people root for NFL teams or soccer, er I mean football, teams.

On December 1st the Crowes will release a Super Deluxe box set for Southern Harmony and it looks very similar to the Shake Your Money Maker package. It’s got the original album, outtakes/b-sides and part of a live concert from that tour. Coincidentally that was the first tour I saw the Black Crowes with my buddy Stormin’ at venerable Memorial Hall over in Kansas City, Kansas… not a bad seat in the house. To tease the new box they’ve released two songs that didn’t make the original album – an outtake, “Miserable,” and a b-side called “99 Pounds.” Had they released this last year, it would have likely been called a “30th Anniversary” package but I guess the brothers Robinson steering the Black Crowes ship decided to instead release their great EP 1972.

The first track I listened to was “Miserable.” Now I will admit to you, it didn’t grab me the way that the first Shake Your Money Maker (30th Anniversary) single “Charming Mess” did. But then “Charming Mess” sounded like it could be the Faces, and I love the Faces. But with “Miserable” you do get a classic sounding blues rock track and you will never hear me complain about that! It really sounds akin to what came out on the album. Thick, bluesy riffs, and Chris Robinson’s blues rock vocals. It’s a slow, almost mournful riff, like waking up hungover on a Sunday morning… but then at the ends kicks into high gear in a fast jam with Marc Ford and Rich Robinson digging in on guitar. It’s got some great piano from the late great Eddie Harsch. And who can argue with a lyric like “3 a.m. again, here I am, good for nothing, punched a hole in the wall… I might get up, go on out and paint the whole God damn town red…” Yeah, I’ve been there… it’s been a while… but oh, have I been there.

“99 Pounds,” in the interest of full disclosure is a tune I’m familiar with. It’s been out there for a while. This is a new mix. I think they originally put it out as a bonus track on “deluxe” CD versions of their original LPs. It’s a good rockin’ song. In this mix I hear the back up singers – the incomparable Barbara MItchell and Taj Harmon – more clearly on this new mix. I love what those ladies brought to this entire album so it’s nice to hear them more clearly. If “99 Pounds” doesn’t get you up and movin’ across the floor, nothing will… Here is a link to the tracks:

I can only hope we get the same quality of outtakes and b-sides on this box as we got from the Shake Your Money Maker set. There were some great covers on that box – Lennon’s “Jealous Guy” and Humble Pie’s “30 Days In The Hole.” I already have some concerns about the concert they’re including but I’ll save those thoughts for when the box comes out. It’s probably going to be a streaming only kind of set as the prices I’ve seen on the box are steep. For now, crank these two tracks up with a little southern sour mash and enjoy your upcoming Thanksgiving holiday… if you’re in the States.

Cheers! (No politics this Thanksgiving… unless you’re debating whose running the Stones, Keith or Mick?)