Ralphy's C.D. Reviews

Review date 31-03-1999: The Black Crowes - C.D. By your side

What can I say about this band? Since I saw them perform live on the Bospop-festival in July of 1995 I've been a huge fan of them and their style of music. I liked their albums even before that concert, but since that day when they jammed so incredibly on stage (I don't know who was higher {best high I ever had}at that time, me or them. They played maybe 6 songs in 1 1/2 hour) they almost can't go wrong in my book. Even though they dismissed super guitarist Marc Ford (which upset a lot of loyal fans and was also disappointing to me) and bass player John Colt recently their latest release still has the famed Black Crowes guitar riffs. The present line-up of the band is ofcourse the Robinson brothers, Rich on guitar and Chris vocals and harmonica. The longest lasting non-Robinson member is drummer Steve Gorman. Furthermore you have on keyboards Eddie Harsch and the latest addition German Sven Pipien on bass. No regular member, but steady and powerful stage presence is second guitarist Audley Freed.

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On "By your side" The Black Crowes return to their roots. In many ways this fifth album reminds me a lot of their debut "Shake your money maker" and a little of the successor to that "The Southern Harmony & Musical Companion", not coincidentally the 2 most successful Black Crowes albums. Like on their debut you'll find not to long, direct and gripping rock 'n' roll songs on "By your side". The opener "Go faster" reminds me a lot of my favourite BC-tune "Twice as hard" and the second song "Kickin' my heart around" only wants you to hear more and more. The Crowes have totally abdicated from the jams that featured on their third album "Amorica" and some of the songs of their previous release "Three snakes and one charm" and it promotes the listenability of the album. As I said before the jams they perform in concert are incredible, but at the base of that their should be compact, strong and solid rock songs and it seems like the Robinsons discovered this in time, before The Black Crowes became a band that only lovers of jamming and superb guitar playing would follow. Tunes like "Horsehead" and "Then she said my name" grip your ears from the beginning with Rich's guitar riffs and Chris's made-for-rock voice. Songs like the satirical "Welcome to the good times" and "Go tell the congregation" also do deserve special attention as does the ballad (well, for music Black Crowes-style it's a ballad) "Diamond ring".

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The lyrics of the songs aren't very special and contain a lot of rime like in "Heavy" with clothes, toes, nose and grow, but they fit the straight style of The Crowes on this album. I was a bit surprised when I read that they chose "Only a fool" as the next single, because to me it's the least good song on "By your side", but the Black Crowes again prove their reputation as the most rock 'n' roll rock 'n' roll band in the world. I hope to catch them live somewhere here in Europe in the summer. "By your side" is rated with an 8.3 .

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