Review by Ritchie Birnie for MPM
2019 held the most unsuspecting news that the brothers Robinson had finally buried the hatchet and brought back The Black Crowes and I was ecstatic, especially when a gig was announced in my hometown of Glasgow.
Unfortunately that was cancelled and never rescheduled but I lived in hope, what I never seen coming was a new album and today we are reviewing the lead single from “Happiness Bastards”.
The Black Crowes were a phenomena when they came out. They totally bucked the Grunge sound that was massive at the time but they found their niche and they stuck with it. I was on board from that amazing debut and I watched them play some incredible (and a few dodgy) shows.
This was a band burning the candle at both ends and to add to the dynamite dynamic you had two brothers that held their own time bombs that the fuse seemed to evaporate quickly when they were around each other. This created either magic or mayhem but you always got a show.
It is one thing coming back together for live shows as no one ever doubted the talent with these two guys but could they pull out the magic whilst writing and recording? If this song is anything to go by it is a definite yes.
The track kicks off with that fuzzy southern sunshine we know and love and when the riff kicks in it could be nobody else. This is pure remedy era and the keys and backing vocals puts me back in the 1990s.
The rhythm drives the song and the chorus is a beautiful sing along. This is a Southern summer day blasting away the snow that the UK is finding itself in right now.
This does what it should, it makes me want more but it hits a sweet spot that has been missing for so long. The Black Crowes are back and the future is very bright, happier seemingly full of bastards!
Listen to ‘Wanting And Waiting’: http://orcd.co/wantingandwaiting