The balls to the wall lead singer is a dying breed in today's rock and roll scene, with the exception of Eddie Vedder, Anthony Keidis, and Scott Weiland. The leader singer in the shape of Robert Plant's soaring vocals, Mick Jaggers's flamboyant peacock struts, and Steven Tyler's bluesy howls, moans, and lip smacking screams are truly a blast from the past. Chris Robinson is one of those gifted lead singers that fits into this category. A true rock and roll voice recognized only as Chris Robinson himself.
With the
Black Crowes on "hiauts", Robinson delivers his first solo album,
New Earth Mud It's a new world for Chris, as his artistry is now hundred percent of his own creative energy, and not a reflection of the other cook in the kitchen; brother Rich Robinson.
New Earth Mud can be matched in the vain of recent recordings from Beck,
Ryan Adams Peter Yorn, and Lucinda Williams. It engulfs the country tinged
harmonies of early 70's Eagles albums and Neil Young's more personal records like "Comes A Time and After the Gold Rush." Ironically
New Earth Mud was recorded in France, but either way, this album is a great departure from the hard edged American rock and roll of the Black Crowes, If you don't have a sweet spot for acoustic based songs and bluesy ballads: Beware!
Of the Black Crowes albums, New Earth Mud probably most clearly resembles, the slower paced, Three Snakes and a Charm. Charming in it's own right, it clearly stands as a personal therapy release for Robinson as many of the songs revolve around the confessional themes of love, resurrection, and hope. Most remarkable is this album truly has the power to stand the test of time. The deepness of the songs, have that unique power to transport the listener to a time and place; play after play, The poignant lyrics and catchy harmonies on this recording will do it to you. It's quite obvious, his recent marriage to movie star Kate Hudson, has opened up a new side to Chris. This being a sensitive side removed form the sometimes dark and unpredictable bites of the Black Crowes.
The opener "Safe In The Arms of Love" is a must hear for any sucker that loves a catchy crafty pop rock song." This song powerfully sets the tone for the album's overall theme. Perhaps the strongest tune on the album, "Kids That Aint Got None" asks the listener "Hey, do you feel like you're losing your mind and stuck out of time." The song builds to a climatic chorus as Robinson's voice flows graciously like the curves on his wife and in the end you can remark, "Wow, there's goose bumps on my arm."
A majority of the songs are slow ballads, like "Silver Car", which sounds like a modern remake of the the Rolling Stone's "Wild Horses." The tune draws a very cinematic poetic feeling of freedom and simplicity. The middle of the album continues with more ballad based tunes, which might make a listener urging to hear Robinson's next "Jealous Again" or "Remedy" give up, and think "good ol' boy sure Chris forgot how to rock." "Katie Dear" epitomizes the love theme of the record and should have been left off the album as it's clearly a personal song to his wife that doesn't really go anywhere.
The end of the record picks up steam with the funky/gospel sounding "Ride." This song has vast potential in the live setting as a jam or rock vehicle to get the crowd moving after a ballad. The psychedelic "Better Than The Sun" sounds like an outtake from the Crowe's heady
Amorica. The tune was co-written with Dean DeLeo from the Stone Temple Pilots, who himself is no stranger to having a powerful voice on his team.
New Earth Mud is a spectacular departure from the Stones and Faces influenced sounds of the Black Crowes. This creation is uplifting, melodic catchy, and quite reflective in today's post 9/11 world. Know what you are stepping into, as this New Earth Mud is slow and addictive.
