Black Crowes - Happiness Bastards

by Nick Dent-Robinson

published: 4 / 5 / 2024

Label: Silver Arrow
Format: CD

Excellent first album in fifteen years and welcome return for blues rockers The Black Crowes

Review

The Robinson brothers from Atlanta's Black Crowes band (lead singer Chris, 57 and guitarist Rich, 54) have now put a bitter sibling feud behind them and have reformed the band to release their first new album for 15 years, ‘Happiness Bastard’’. The new LP revisits the bluesy sound and swagger of their early 1990s days. It is a reminder of why the Black Crowes have previously sold over 30 million records. ‘Bedside Manners’ is reminiscent of Aerosmith and there's some interesting blue-eyed funk on ‘Wanting and Waiting’. On ballad “Wilted Rose” country singer Lainey Wilson duets with Chris Robinson - perhaps evoking the folkier elements of Led Zeppelin III. ‘Happiness Bastards’ is a welcome return by the Black Crowes – and shows the band's creativity and musicianship is as strong as ever.

Track Listing:-

1 Bedside Manners
2 Rats and Clowns
3 Cross Your Fingers
4 Wanting and Waiting
5 Wilted Rose (feat. Lainey Wilson)
6 Dirty Cold Sun
7 Bleed It Dry
8 Flesh Wound
9 Follow the Moon
10 Kindred Friend