Mr. Heartbreak Posted April 15, 2016 Share Posted April 15, 2016 Okay, so I'm just going to start a thread for these guys. It seems like quite a few people on VC are huge Black Crowes fans who feel that CR is a huge dick. I don't know about all that, but I have1) Zero interest in his brother or what he is doing2) A genuine affection for the work of CRB and Neal Casal, and3) No desire to engage in back and forth about this stuff. So here is the CRB thread. They have been making music together for 5 years and have a new record coming soon...just about the only new music I'm genuinely excited about right now. These guys have been great when I've seen them live, and they cover a lot of tunes typically associated with Jerry: They Love Each Other, Althea, West LA, Tough Mama, etc. If we could keep this a positive thread, that would be great. It just seems weird to me for any of us to go on a Stones thread to post "Jagger is a douche" or the Zep thread to post "screw Robert Plant." Hope you all dig the vibe. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Magnetized Posted April 15, 2016 Share Posted April 15, 2016 They're coming to the NorVa in July. Just got my ticket yesterday. (I saw the Black Crowes at the same venue a few years ago.) CRB will also be at Mountain Jam in June. Looking forward to both of these shows. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 Great thread. I am not a Crowes fan and could give a shit about the recent drama. I absolutely love CRB. Those first two albums are killer. I still haven't digest Phosphorescent Harvest or any of the Betty Blends. I'm also so curious about their repertoire. Of course I know all the Dead stuff, but they play a bunch of deep tracks from random artists. Not sure about their versions of New Earth Mudd tunes. Wasn't a fan of that project. I too love Neal Casal. He and Chris write well together. Any fan of CRB and Casal needs to check out the music he put together for the Dead Fare Thee Well intermission. Circles Around the Sun. Great stuff! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Heartbreak Posted April 16, 2016 Author Share Posted April 16, 2016 I absolutely love CRB. Those first two albums are killer. I still haven't digest Phosphorescent Harvest or any of the Betty Blends. I'm also so curious about their repertoire. Of course I know all the Dead stuff, but they play a bunch of deep tracks from random artists.I too love Neal Casal. He and Chris write well together. Any fan of CRB and Casal needs to check out the music he put together for the Dead Fare Thee Well intermission. Circles Around the Sun. Great stuff!Yeah, there is a surprising amount of kickass material on the first two, especially Star or Stone, Reflections on a Broken Mirror, & Vibration & Light Suite. I felt the 3rd was a drop in quality, but some of those songs translate well live.I, too, love the somewhat offbeat covers: Never Been to Spain comes to mind, Girl from the North Country...you never know what they're going to pull out.Probably can't resist seeing them again when they pass through in July. Tickets are $25, can't beat that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jw harding Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 A fun band to see live. Pretty derivative, but that seems to be the point. Covers are the highlights of the shows I've seen. Chris is a great front man and a rare great singer in the jam band world. He's likely a pain in the ass, but he's also building a band up by putting the work in on the road, drawing from a lot of great influences. I'll take the bad with the good as far as he's concerned. Haven't seen them since they replaced the drummer, and now they're in search of a new bass player. Don't really care for the keyboard player, talented but sometimes his sounds take over and don't really mesh with the rest of the band. Casal of course is great. Wonder what the future holds for these guys, if they'll just keep on keepin on with replacement brothers? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 My hunch is that they'll settle in with a drummer and bassist. I hope they get a more dynamic bassist (a la Phil) rather than one just playing root notes on the bottom end. Would add so much to the jammy stuff. I think they're in it for the long haul. They tour so damn much. Been to Atlanta several times since their inception. Coming again in June. I actually love the random synth stuff from the keys player. However, I wish he'd use that a bit more sparingly and stick with the same instrument for entire songs (rhodes, organ etc.). I really love the original stuff because it's not just basic song structure. There's always a cool breakdown or suite arrangement. Incidentally, got a Betty Blends last night. Listening today. So far so good. Betty was at the last Atlanta show, so there should be more Blends coming out soon :-) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Heartbreak Posted April 16, 2016 Author Share Posted April 16, 2016 Incidentally, got a Betty Blends last night. Listening today. So far so good. Betty was at the last Atlanta show, so there should be more Blends coming out soon :-)Cool! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 Cool! Yeah, for a Head it was very cool to see her at the 'boards'. God bless that woman and her ears! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Heartbreak Posted April 17, 2016 Author Share Posted April 17, 2016 Yeah, for a Head it was very cool to see her at the 'boards'. God bless that woman and her ears!I'm not sure I would have recognized her! Been appreciating some of her work this past week myself. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted April 17, 2016 Share Posted April 17, 2016 Betty was hard to miss. Right up there bopping around! I think the first two albums come from the same sessions. All of them in the same room, recorded live. Very warm, immediate sound. They just split the songs up. I think it worked. Average length being 10 minutes per song. Phosphorescent seems to have been recorded completely different. More produced? Not sure, just doesn't sound the same. Definitely some overdubs with acoustics etc. I hope the new one is more like the first two. It is pretty fun having a band like this around. Touring regularly and putting out new music every two years. The Betty Blend I've been listening to is 12/15/12. It's a bit rough. I'd like to get some really good live versions of the New Earth Mudd stuff. I'd also like to hear their take on some of the Before the Frost Crowes stuff. But Chris has said that he is only playing stuff he wrote by himself, not with his brother. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Heartbreak Posted April 25, 2016 Author Share Posted April 25, 2016 http://www.uncut.co.uk/blog/chris-robinson-brotherhood-live-73784 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Heartbreak Posted May 24, 2016 Author Share Posted May 24, 2016 http://www.jambase.com/article/chris-robinson-brotherhood-announces-new-album-shares-single Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vacant Horizon Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 Just back from CRB in Atlanta. They played a festival here. Second time seeing them. Really like the new bassist. He actually jams a bit and fits in well. Of course Neal was awesome. Chris sounded great too. Love his rhythm playing. He looks so damn spaced out. They played a funky version of Dylan's Baby Blue. A few new ones I think. They've worked up I Ain't Lyin' too. Only complaint was they didn't do a Dead cover! Edit-I guess they were at Mountain Jam yesterday or tomorrow. What a trip. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Heartbreak Posted July 12, 2017 Author Share Posted July 12, 2017 Dang, these guys have another new record coming out. Single sounds pretty good too. I love Neal's playing. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/chris-robinson-on-new-crb-lp-why-hes-over-black-crowes-w490432 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
calvino Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 This will be bittersweet to watch. Really stinks that this band is no more. CRB Documentary https://www.greetingsfromunicorncalifornia.com Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Heartbreak Posted February 12, 2020 Author Share Posted February 12, 2020 This will be bittersweet to watch. Really stinks that this band is no more. CRB Documentary https://www.greetingsfromunicorncalifornia.comSo sad, but it will be nice to see. I’m sure I’ve posted it on here before, but I was a big fan of Neal’s solo work from back before he joined Ryan Adams’ group. Was thrilled when I learned about CRB, and went to my first of several shows in 2011. They smoked. Overall I think they played too often, so they were inconsistent, but sure put out some great stuff. Still miss Neal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 Sort of odd it's coming out now - Of course both of them put out albums just before walking away from their bands. I am still trying to figure out if they are broke and need the money or actually want to play together. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
calvino Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 Sort of odd it's coming out now - Of course both of them put out albums just before walking away from their bands. I am still trying to figure out if they are broke and need the money or actually want to play together. I guess the director has been with CRB since the beginning, so I guess now is as good a time to put it out, since the band is no more. I am sure he started editing once the band disbanded. I suppose, the brothers need the dough and are fine to work together, again. Them not hiring a bunch of ex-members tells me that they don't want to have to really deal with anybody but themselves - which is fine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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