The Black Crowes' 'A Pound of Feathers' - Album Review

Given the lengthy gap between the band's last two studio albums, it feels great to have a new album from the Georgia-based blues/southern/jam rockers The Black Crowes drop almost exactly two years to the day since their previous effort was released. That last album, 2024's Happiness Bastards (which I reviewed here), was the band's first album of original material since 2009's Before the Frost...Until the Freeze - and their first since reuniting in 2019 following a few years apart. The pandemic meant that the band's reunion had a delayed start, but once they were allowed out on the road they were immediately celebrating the 30th anniversary of their seminal debut album Shake Your Money Maker - before settling down to crown this latest era of The Black Crowes with a new album. I have become a pretty big fan of the band over the years, and Happiness Bastards was one that hit me from the off. It was clear that the tour in support of Shake Your Money Maker's milestone rubbed off on the band - as Happiness Bastards was easily their most concise album since that 1990 debut. Despite starting out writing snappy, riffy, bluesy southern rock anthems, The Black Crowes' sound evolved over time to become more experimental - with jam band aesthetics from acts like The Allman Brothers Band and Grateful Dead creeping into their songwriting. Many of the band's albums are quite long, then, and live they were often known for their fairly lengthy shows - with elongated versions of songs often containing plenty of soloing and interpolations of blues and jazz standards. The band do not really seem to pushing that side of their sound during this current era, though. Happiness Bastards was a short and to-the-point album; and the show that I caught on its tour in Wolverhampton, which is to date the only time I have seen the band live, contained relatively limited jamming. A few songs were somewhat stretched out to allow for some impressive soloing, but generally the band stuck to their more anthemic songs - with lots of older classics played from the first two albums alongside a healthy number of new cuts. This worked for me as, as much as I enjoy some jamming from time to time, the band played many of my favourites - and Happiness Bastards was a regular companion for me throughout 2024, winding up in my Albums of the Year list. The band's reunion does not seem to be slowing down, though, and clearly wanting to build on the overall positive reviews that Happiness Bastards received - the Robinson brothers got back in the studio with producer Jay Joyce to write and record the follow-up. That follow-up, released earlier this month as A Pound of Feathers, feels like a natural continuation of the more concise songwriting exhibited on the previous album. This latest album is a touch longer and perhaps a bit more varied in terms of songwriting - but the song lengths are generally kept to a digestible length, with the band's riffy, bluesy approach once again on show. As always, the Robinson brothers were responsible for the songwriting - but the musicians involved in this release represent a more stripped-back version of the band compared to their touring ensemble. Frontman Chris Robinson does his thing as always, but Rich Robinson played all of the guitars and bass on the album. Keyboard player Erik Deutsch, drummer Cully Symington, and backing singers Mackenzie Adams and Lesley Grant, all of whom have toured with the band in recent years, contributed to the album - but long-time bassist Sven Pipien and current live guitarist Nico Bereciartua are conspicuous by their absence.

Despite the line-up tweaks, although Deutsch also played on Happiness Bastards, A Pound of Feathers' overall sound is similar to its predecessor - with Joyce's production style carrying over the from the 2024 effort. There is a rawness alongside a hard rock energy here - whilst the band's trademark looseness keeps things from feeling too sterile. Kicking off with Prophane Prophecy (spelling taken from my CD copy rather than how it appears online), a hard rock edge is immediately on show with a barrelling 1970s-esque guitar riff - which is soon overlaid by some slide guitar hooks. Cowbell-led drumming aids the song's later snarling rock groove, whilst Chris' bluesy, ragged voice sounds as good as ever. He has always had the perfect voice for this sort of music, and he exhibits some power during the riffy verses - whilst going for a smoother approach, backed by the two ladies, during the slide-driven chorus. Rich, despite soloing occasionally, has generally been seen as the band's rhythm guitarist over the years - so it is interesting hearing him handling all of the guitars here. His slide playing throughout this track is evocative of the era it is harking back to - and is a lot of melody in his playing here, despite the main riffing being pretty brash. There is not a big keyboard presence during this number, with the drumming and off-kilter bass playing high in the mix - aiding the overall rawness conjured up by Chris' troubadour vocals and Rich's raw guitar playing. Cruel Streak reins in the faster pace of the opening number, instead going for a more overtly bluesy and groovy sound. Rich's memorable riff, with its walking blues rhythm, is a bit more Led Zeppelin-esque this time - with a smoother tone, reining in some of the brashness of the opening number. With the exception of the chorus, this riff essentially carries on throughout the whole song - even during later parts of each verse which see Chris speeding up the vocal delivery with some juddering and old-school blues vocal melodies sees a variation of it remain. The chorus is a bit different, though, with a more strident guitar pattern overall - whilst Hammond organ roars away, cutting nicely through the mix as the two ladies sing in a call-and-response manner with Chris. Occasional guitar leads and some booming drumming rounds out the song - with the strutting anthem sure to become a live favourite on the upcoming tour. Pharmacy Chronicles slows the pace down quite considerably - opening with acoustic guitar chords and the occasional, effects-heavy slide guitar line. A sombre groove is later added by the rhythm section, and once Chris starts to sing the song is immediately recognisable as one of The Black Crowes' trademark acoustic-based ballad-type tracks. These organic numbers have been a bit part of the band's catalogue since the early days, and Chris is always able to inject plenty of emotion into them - whilst Rich's aching slide leads add to such, as do Deutsch's occasional bursts of mournful southern rock piano. The rhythm section grounds the song, the stomping beat limiting it from becoming too whimsical, but the ballad vibes still shine through - largely thanks to the prominent acoustic guitar chords and the excellent vocals of Chris. Songs like this often take a few listens to fully appreciate, but it has become a bit of a favourite of mine over the past couple of weeks - and The Black Crowes often excel at such numbers.

Do the Parasite! returns to a much more hard rocking sound, with an infectious riff kicking things off - which, again, largely remains in situ throughout. The riff is one which is sure to get toes tapping live, whilst the simple drum backing and the relative lack of bass in places gives the song a pretty cavernous and echoey sound - which actually works well. This is aided by Chris' vocals which have something of an effect on them - making him sound a little echoey and more muffled than usual. This sound looks to really throw the clock back to the early days of rock and blues, then, and this vibe continues on through a slide-heavy pre-chorus - before the garage rock vibes of the chorus with barroom piano and occasional washes of organ create a bigger sound overall. Later verses feature occasional organ stabs, which fill the void a little every so often, whilst Rich's later guitar solo is simplistic and bluesy in nature - but it works well within the confines of the song. The song is memorable in part due to its simplicity, and it is another solid rocker in the band's canon. High and Lonesome returns to a prominent, acoustic guitar-driven sound - with staccato acoustic chords creating a rhythm alongside some simple percussive drumming and a similar bassline. The verses follow this staccato pattern throughout, with Chris singing in a rugged and slightly more nasally manner - whilst occasional keyboard swells add colour. The chorus, as is often the case here, is a bit smoother overall - with wordless vocals and harmonies from the backing singers and a slightly folkier overall sound thanks to more fluid guitars and Chris' approach to singing. A tortured guitar solo later adds some effects-heavy melodies to the piece - but really this song is more of an organic number thanks to the acoustic guitar dominance and folky stomp. Queen of the B Sides remains in acoustic mode, and it is easily the most stripped back number here. Delicate acoustic guitar chords and acoustic slide melodies, with the occasional piano accent, make up the backing for Chris' vocals here - whilst Rich adds some ragged harmonies. Like a number of the songs here, this is one which harks back to an early period in rock history - with folky, bluesy, and even country vibes on show as stark acoustic slide guitar leads double Chris' vocals at times. It is a very short song, but I think it adds a lot to the album overall - acting as a mid-album break. It has a very live feel to it too, and the simplicity is what makes it work well. It's Like That returns to a more hard rocking sound, with a brash, garage rock guitar riff kicking things off - but the overall sound from the band here is much bigger. The guitar tones remind me a little of their debut album - and the overall arrangement is similar, too. Barrelling guitar riffing and melodic bass playing back Chris as he sings in an upbeat and energetic manner - whilst punchy drumming and plenty of Hammond elevate the song beyond the more organic vibes of the last couple of numbers. Plenty of soulful backing vocals are thrown in, too, especially during the snappy chorus - whilst Rich later delivers a busy and bluesy solo which is one of the album's lengthier instrumental breaks. This is not one of the songs which stood out to me early on, with some of the more retro numbers doing so originally - but this high-energy rocker adds a lot to the album, and it feels very similar to things that the band were doing in the early days.

Blood Red Regrets returns to something more organic in tone - with a brash, bluesy, walking guitar riff sitting over a raw and slightly distorted drum groove. The loud snare work on this song is a part of its foot-stomping charm - but there is also a grandness to the song which reveals itself in time. The early moments here are largely raw, with the aforementioned riff and drum combo, with sparse bass beneath, the main backing for Chris' slithering vocals - but as the song moves on the keyboards become a bit more prevalent. Led Zeppelin-esque grand keyboard backings are used during the chorus, in a string-like manner, whilst organ is used sparingly to occasionally add further weight. Acoustic guitar is later returned to for a spacey instrumental bridge-like section, but this vibe is largely short lived - with the main riff soon kicking back in for a final grand chorus. You Call This a Good Time? returns to a brash, confident hard rock sound which the band have often exhibited - and there are vibes similar to Prophane Prophecy from earlier in the album here. The guitar riffing is a bit more snarling this time, then, and there is little of a more retro sound - with big guitar riffing, busy bass playing, and some more modern hard rock drumming backing everything. The ladies add some potent backing vocals to a decent chorus - whilst Chris sings in a pouting and preening manner throughout, ever the rockstar. It is fitting, then, that Rich also throws in a guitar solo - and it is one that is less bluesy than is typical for the band, with more hard rock flash and a few busier phrases. Eros Blues is another slower track, at least early on, but instead of acoustic guitars dominating - this time some electric piano from Deutsch is the main backing for Chris' emotive vocals. The piano playing is gentle and atmospheric, which suits Chris' quiet delivery - but the song is quite varied, with heavier sections crashing in every so often. It tends to return to its keyboard roots again, with some different retro keyboard sounds utilised throughout - but the heavier moments are built around an infectious and groovy riff which works well as Chris moves through the gears vocally. The arrangement is a bit all over the place, then, but this sort of songwriting has often worked well for the band - and their jam credentials feel like they are a bit more on show here. The guitar and keyboard interplay here works well, and towards the end the backing singers play a big role to help create an emotive and atmospheric tapestry behind Chris' delivery. The album then comes to a close with the spooky Doomsday Doggerel - a slow-burning and trudging number that also goes for something of an atmospheric sound. The main guitar riff here is somewhat doomy, and it plods along monotonously as Chris adds a tortured vocal atop it. There is a bit of a heaviness to the piece as a result, but it also feels quite old-fashioned thanks to the guitar tones and the subtle keyboard textures which sit beneath the riffing. A snappier chorus section does add the occasional burst of energy, but generally this song creeps along to maintain its haunting and booming atmosphere. The song is unlike anything else on the album, and it is not something often done by the band, but the slower and heavier vibe works well as a closing statement. I am not sure it would work anywhere else on the album, but it gives the album a powerful end. Overall, then, A Pound of Feathers is another excellent release from The Black Crowes. It might not be as immediate as the last album, but it feels more varied and I feel that over time it might feel more impressive and complete as a result. There is certainly more for me here to discover despite the 40-odd minute runtime - and the Robinson brothers have once again delivered in my opinion.

The album was released on 13th March 2026 via Silver Arrow Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Prophane Prophecy.