The Black Crowes present a wonderfully loud jangle on their 2026 platter, A Pound Of Feathers. Claiming that it took no more than 10 days to record, this is the follow up to their 2024 critically acclaimed and Grammy-nominated, Happiness Bastards.
All songs here were penned by vocalist Chris and guitarist Rich Robinson, the brother core of the Crowes. We get a powerful “Profane Prophecy” to kick off things, with its crunchy guitar, wailing slide, and shouted backing vocals. “Cruel Streak’s” follows, showcasing drummer Cully Symington.
I like all the unadulterated rockin’ of the overall production here, and believe The Black Crowes are a band that do this kind of loosey goosy strut better than most. For me, the true meat-and-taters is the first half of the record with Rich Robinson’s stellar slide work, Erik Deutsch’s piano and Chris Robinson’s brilliant vocal. It all comes together in the all-acoustic, brilliantly tight and subtle “Pharmacy Chronicles.”
The five songs on the A Pound Of Lead second half begin again with that crunchy Stones-like panache on “It’s Like That,” which finds Chris wailing about being left by his lover. Mackenzie Adams and Leslie Grant once again lend some great single-word backing vocals in the chorus. “Blood Red Regrets” and “You Call This A Good Time” get the Crowes strut working before stripping down for “Eros Blues.” Its slow electric piano, swirly organ verses and nasty riffy chorus are pretty much perfect. Ender “Doomsday Doggerel” could have been the lost Led Zeppelin tune they never wrote.
It’s nice to still have the Robinson brothers and whatever company they are keeping these days, still crowing in their rag-taggle, Southern-stained way. The eleven songs of A Pound Of Feathers are surely worth a spin when you’re in the mood for no-nonsense, pull-no-punches, in-your-face rock and roll.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
