THE BLACK CROWES: Amorica (ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Considered by many to be the album of all dangers, the band's third opus is, most of the time, the opportunity to see how far a group has come and how mature it has become. In the case of a combo like the Black Crowes, already having 2 masterpieces to their credit, it was all the more dangerous as the band had to demonstrate a certain evolution without disorienting their hordes of fans.

While the Black Crowes' style remains easily recognizable, thanks in particular to the warm, inimitable voice of Chris Robinson, who once again achieves an improbable progression, "Amorica" marks an evolution in the combo's work. Indeed, this album is one of those rare works that deserve to be heard. If you're a fan of compositions that can be assimilated on the first listen, you'll have to pass, as you won't find any of the immediate hits like 'Hard To Handle' or 'Sting Me' on the two previous albums. It's from the second or even third listen that "Amorica" begins to hypnotize and wrapp you up in melodies as warm as ever, but more complex and convoluted.

Each track seems to be part of a story that becomes our own, leaving us with the feeling of having been part of something exceptional. We share Chris's anger on the verses of 'A Conspiracy', party with the band on the mellow rhythms of 'High Head Blues', wander the streets of a ghetto on the grimy riff of 'P.25 London' or watch the landscape unfold behind the windows of their road-bus throughout the build-up to 'Wiser Time'. The Black Crowes' music and Chris's vocals have become deeper, coming straight from the souls of the 6 band members to envelop us and take possession of our feelings.

"Amorica" is an essential work of Blues Rock, oscillating between the power of Aerosmith-style US hard rock, the warmth of blues and the rhythm of soul music. It may not contain a hit, but it brims with unforgettable moments of music that is catchy, complex and timeless all at once. Perfectly at ease in their time, with their roots planted in the 70s, and bolstered by unfailing honesty, the Black Crowes teach a new lesson to those who were waiting to see them fall, and offer us a new monument to the history of southern rock, of which they have become unique and unavoidable ambassadors. - Official website

THE BLACK CROWES

AMORICA

COLUMBIA

ROCK