Chris Robinson Brotherhood - The Magic Door

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 12 / 9 / 2012

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Review

Barely three months have passed since the release of the first Chris Robinson Brotherhood album, their debut ‘Big Moon Ritual’, but any doubts that the quality of the songs on this quickly released follow-up would not be up to that of its predecessor are immediately dismissed as soon as the opening bars of ‘Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go’, a cover of a Hank Ballard song, are heard. The Brotherhood’s shuffling cosmic California boogie is still very much in attendance. That this collection isn’t so different from the previous one isn’t at all surprising. Both albums were recorded over two marathon sessions with producer Thom Monahan after the Brotherhood had completed a 118 show tour showcasing the songs which is obviously the main reason why the band sound so tight (although once again the actual songs are not so ‘tight’, while not exactly sprawling these are not 3 minute pop songs, the longest track clocks in at almost fourteen minutes), and they actually manage to capture a lot of that live feeling in these recordings. Even after nine studio albums with the Black Crowes and his New Earth Mud project, it feels that both ‘Big Moon Ritual’ and ‘The Magic Door’ are the albums that Robinson has been working all his career to create. Certainly the later Black Crowes albums, even the mostly acoustic ‘Croweology’, pointed the way to these albums. While Robinson’s love of the Grateful Dead was always there simmering under the surface, it is on these two latest albums where that influence is given free reign. The other reason that the albums work so well is with the addition of Neal Casal (why is Casal’s solo work always forgotten; the man had a career long before he joined Ryan Adams. Check out his solo albums) Robinson has found the perfect partner for his new musical vision. There is more of Neal Casal spread through these songs than there is the Grateful Dead or the Allman Brothers so while, for many, both ‘Big Moon Ritual’ and ‘The Magic Hour’ are classed as Chris Robinson solo albums they most definitely are not. The contributions not only from Casal but from Black Crowe Adam MacDougall (keyboards and vocals), George Sluppick (drums) and Mark Dutton (bass) form an essential part of this laid-back 70's-infused sound. and for all the attention that the dual guitars of Casal and Robinson are receiving MacDougall’s keyboards really do deserve special mention. Then there is the voice of course. There was never any doubt, especially in later years that Robinson is an extraordinary vocalist, and now that he is finally devoting whole albums to songs where he is so obviously just doing what he feels his vocals are stronger, more soulful and simply more expressive than ever. We know that Robinson can handle blues shouters and tender ballads equally, but on songs such as ‘Appaloosa’ Robinson really does turn in some of his best vocal performances ever. The whole vibe of this particular song tugs at the heartstrings, but there are moments when you feel the ghost of Otis Redding floating above Robinson as he sings. There is so much emotion displayed in his vocals. Otis fronting the Grateful Dead maybe doesn’t appeal on paper but one listen will blow you away. That one song, the second shortest on the album, is worth the price of admission alone. The longest song here, clocking in at a few seconds short of fourteen minutes, is ‘Vibration And Light Suite’ and is where those Grateful Dead comparisons really make sense. The guitar interplay between Robinson and Casal on the opening section of the song is amazing and for the first ten minutes the band never lose sight of the melody,. It is a stunning piece of work and a testament to the abilities of all involved that the band can hold your attention for the duration of the song without you ever wondering, not even for one second, what you are going to have for dinner tonight. There will be those who will feel that the sound collage that the song collapses into for the last few minutes could have been cut but somehow it’s fitting, it works. Even with all the shifts and changes the song holds together perfectly and is an obvious highlight on the album. That the Brotherhood can jump from such an obscure ending straight into the more straightforward rocker ‘Little Lizzie Mae’ without the listener feeling that something didn’t quite feel right is further proof that this is a band who know exactly what they are doing and where they are going. With ‘Sorrows of a Blue Eyed Liar’ again highlighting Robinson’s more soulful side over its eight-plus minutes it’s looking like ‘The Magic Door’ is an even stronger set of songs than ‘Big Moon Ritual’; by the closing ‘Wheel Don’t Roll’ which adds the Band to the Brotherhood’s influences you’ll be convinced. It’s a beautiful, adventurous trip that they take you on that’s for sure.

Track Listing:-

1 Let s Go Let s Go Let s Go
2 Someday Past The Sunset
3 Appaloosa
4 Vibration & Light Suite
5 Little Lizzie Mae
6 Sorrows Of A Blue Eyed Liar
7 Wheel Don t Roll

Band Links:-

http://chrisrobinsonbrotherhood.com/
https://www.facebook.com/CRBrotherhood
https://twitter.com/TheCRB
https://www.instagram.com/crblive/