Hard rockin’ Americana types Black Crowes are set to return later this year with two new albums.
The Black Crowes formed in Atlanta, Georgia in the mid 80s. Out of step with their contemporaries, while hardcore punk buzzed around them the group harked back to the blues-rock styles of The Faces or Free.
The band’s debut album ‘Shake Your Money Maker’ broke them internationally. A blustering cover of the Otis Redding staple ‘Hard To Handle’ became a radio favourite, while a ZZ Top support slot gave them a badge of authenticity from the old guard.
Eventually selling over 20 million copies, the band have never regained that commercial height but have maintained a staunchly loyal fan base. A stunning live act Black Crowes preceded the jam band phenomenon – a retro rock uprising that includes plenty of lenghty improvisation.
The group headed back into the studio last year, and as a reward to fans are set to release not one but two new albums this year. Recorded in just five nights at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, the two albums feature a total of twenty new tracks.
‘Before The Frost…’ is the main album, featuring eleven new and unreleased tracks including ‘Good Morning Captain’ and ‘I Ain’t Hiding’.
However fans have been left stunned after the group announced another companion album to be released concurrently. ‘…Until The Freeze’ will be released as a download, with each parent album containing a special code to obtain the extra songs.
‘…Until The Freeze’ is due to contain nine original songs as well as a cover of Stephen Stills’ ‘So Many Times’.
In addition to this, Black Crowes are due to make the albums available as a limited edition vinyl only release, which will include all twenty tracks from both albums.
Black Crowes are due to release ‘Before The Frost…’ and ‘…Until The Freeze’ in the Autumn. Full tracklisting as follows:
‘Before The Frost…’
‘Good Morning Captain’
‘Been A Long Time (Waiting On Love)’
‘Appaloosa’
‘A Train Still Makes A Lonely Sound’
‘I Ain’t Hiding’
‘Kept My Soul’
‘What Is Home’
‘Houston Don’t Dream About Me’
‘Make Glad’
‘And The Band Played On’
‘Last Place That Love Lives’
‘…Until The Freeze’
‘Aimless Peacock’
‘Shady Grove’
‘Garden Gate’
‘Greenhorn’
‘Shine Along’
‘Roll Old Jeremiah’
‘Lady Of Avenue A’
‘So Many Times’
‘Fork In The River’
