Crow Black Chicken - Electric Soup
Those guys over in Crow Black Chicken have been at it again, this time producing the album Electric Soup for us to check out. Due out on September 10th of this year, the band have continued to combine the styles of blues and hard rock to produce a sound which oozes out of the speakers, luring you in to listen and hooking you throughout. Having gone from strength to strength since the release of the EP, the band are scheduled to be touring all summer so now is the time to get on, check them out and see what you reckon!
From the opening moments of White Lightening there’s a real southern blues type feel to things, forming a sound which is laid back, cool and full of whiskey soaked rhythms. As an opening track to an album this one fits the picture, allowing each element of the and to ooze out of the speakers in turn and showing you what they’re capable of. Skin Deep continues this idea from the off, forming into a sludgy and bluesy mix of guitar lines, simple yet effective drums and bass heavy rhythms which are sure to get you moving. This combination of blues and rock is one which is going to diversify the bands audience, opening them up to fans of different genres and allowing their music to transcend the boundaries of taste and pigeon holing – in short – this is going to be a popular album. As if to further testify to this, Pourin’ Down continues to keep the album alive and moving, once again thrusting a funky guitar line upon you and asking you to get involved, the chilled out undertones of the music matching the sunniest of days and showing that we’re dealing with a live anthem in the waiting. I love the cool and almost retro style of this track, it holds the power of the previous tracks yet harks back to a day gone by, showing that there is still real music out there to check out.
Epitaph marks a slight change in the progression of the album, slowing everything down and adding in a sense of emotion to the mix, showing that they’re perfectly capable of adding in an emotional edge yet still forming a sound which is open and accessible. Throwing in those blues elements once again through the guitar work it’s confirmed who we’re listening to without needing to look, the sound is simply so signature Crow Black Chicken. Charlie’s Women, John Lee Wee, Electric Soup and Bijou Creole all continue to raise the bar for what we should expect from a blue rock album, but it’s when Murmuration comes around that a real high point is revealed. Throwing into one of the heavier openings of the album, the sound immediately gets going on an upbeat and raucous level, drawing you in and asking you to listen to what’s going on. This is the sort of track which is going to be begged for on the live scene, the sort of track that gets everyone singing along and everyone moving. To me, this is one of my favourite tracks off of the album, and one which I know I’ll be coming back to time and time again – definitely one to check out!
Lie Awake once again adds a new dimension to the album, showing off the blues fusion approach that started the band off on this road and paying testament to their hard work and dedication. Laid back and soft at times, whilst still managing to keep their signature sound running through the track, this is another track which stands out as a serious high point on the album, showing that when you’re looking for blues rock, laid back melodies, or simply music to accompany a laid back afternoon, this could be the way forwards. Picking up the pace once again for The Drop, we’re thrown back into that funky pit of bluesy melodies and sludgy guitar lines, the sort of thing which is going to sit us in a rocking chair, light a cigarette and pour a whiskey and have us regaling people with stories of the good times! This upbeat and bluesy approach is once again matched in Flowers, presenting yet another psychedelic take on blues and jazz style music, harking almost to the sounds of Hendrix and similar at times. It’s this out there and laid back approach which has made this album such a stand out throughout, showing that there are still bands out there who have a real understanding of real music and how to perform it!
Closing with John The Revelator we’re shown off how much of the bands roots they truly understand. Taking a traditional gospel track which later become a blues song by Blind Willie Johnson (but has been covered by god knows how many others (Steve Vai, Nick Cave, Curtis Stigers and Rolf Harris (??) ) is always going to be a risky move, especially as an album closer, but it works. Demonstrating their roots as if to pay homage to where their music has come from, the closing moments of this record sound authentic, powerful, and downright perfect for the album which has come before it.
I said it last time we checked out Crow Black Chicken, but the blues is one of those genres that I’m always a little wary of as there seems to be so much bad stuff knocking about that the really good stuff gets lost – but I needn’t have worried. This is an album which is testament to the hard work of Crow Black Chicken, demonstrates their understanding of their music and provokes thoughts from start to finish. If you’re looking for a new band to check out or an album to get then this is it, get out there, get it, and behold the wonder you get to hear!
To find out more about Crow Black Chicken, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
From the opening moments of White Lightening there’s a real southern blues type feel to things, forming a sound which is laid back, cool and full of whiskey soaked rhythms. As an opening track to an album this one fits the picture, allowing each element of the and to ooze out of the speakers in turn and showing you what they’re capable of. Skin Deep continues this idea from the off, forming into a sludgy and bluesy mix of guitar lines, simple yet effective drums and bass heavy rhythms which are sure to get you moving. This combination of blues and rock is one which is going to diversify the bands audience, opening them up to fans of different genres and allowing their music to transcend the boundaries of taste and pigeon holing – in short – this is going to be a popular album. As if to further testify to this, Pourin’ Down continues to keep the album alive and moving, once again thrusting a funky guitar line upon you and asking you to get involved, the chilled out undertones of the music matching the sunniest of days and showing that we’re dealing with a live anthem in the waiting. I love the cool and almost retro style of this track, it holds the power of the previous tracks yet harks back to a day gone by, showing that there is still real music out there to check out.
Epitaph marks a slight change in the progression of the album, slowing everything down and adding in a sense of emotion to the mix, showing that they’re perfectly capable of adding in an emotional edge yet still forming a sound which is open and accessible. Throwing in those blues elements once again through the guitar work it’s confirmed who we’re listening to without needing to look, the sound is simply so signature Crow Black Chicken. Charlie’s Women, John Lee Wee, Electric Soup and Bijou Creole all continue to raise the bar for what we should expect from a blue rock album, but it’s when Murmuration comes around that a real high point is revealed. Throwing into one of the heavier openings of the album, the sound immediately gets going on an upbeat and raucous level, drawing you in and asking you to listen to what’s going on. This is the sort of track which is going to be begged for on the live scene, the sort of track that gets everyone singing along and everyone moving. To me, this is one of my favourite tracks off of the album, and one which I know I’ll be coming back to time and time again – definitely one to check out!
Lie Awake once again adds a new dimension to the album, showing off the blues fusion approach that started the band off on this road and paying testament to their hard work and dedication. Laid back and soft at times, whilst still managing to keep their signature sound running through the track, this is another track which stands out as a serious high point on the album, showing that when you’re looking for blues rock, laid back melodies, or simply music to accompany a laid back afternoon, this could be the way forwards. Picking up the pace once again for The Drop, we’re thrown back into that funky pit of bluesy melodies and sludgy guitar lines, the sort of thing which is going to sit us in a rocking chair, light a cigarette and pour a whiskey and have us regaling people with stories of the good times! This upbeat and bluesy approach is once again matched in Flowers, presenting yet another psychedelic take on blues and jazz style music, harking almost to the sounds of Hendrix and similar at times. It’s this out there and laid back approach which has made this album such a stand out throughout, showing that there are still bands out there who have a real understanding of real music and how to perform it!
Closing with John The Revelator we’re shown off how much of the bands roots they truly understand. Taking a traditional gospel track which later become a blues song by Blind Willie Johnson (but has been covered by god knows how many others (Steve Vai, Nick Cave, Curtis Stigers and Rolf Harris (??) ) is always going to be a risky move, especially as an album closer, but it works. Demonstrating their roots as if to pay homage to where their music has come from, the closing moments of this record sound authentic, powerful, and downright perfect for the album which has come before it.
I said it last time we checked out Crow Black Chicken, but the blues is one of those genres that I’m always a little wary of as there seems to be so much bad stuff knocking about that the really good stuff gets lost – but I needn’t have worried. This is an album which is testament to the hard work of Crow Black Chicken, demonstrates their understanding of their music and provokes thoughts from start to finish. If you’re looking for a new band to check out or an album to get then this is it, get out there, get it, and behold the wonder you get to hear!
To find out more about Crow Black Chicken, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Crow Black Chicken
Stephen from Crow Black Chicken recently got in touch about the new single, White Lightening, to see what we thought of it. Having already played Glastonbury, the band have built up a loyal following since forming in 2009. Tipped as a band to watch out for in 2012, the band fuse blues, jazz, punk, folk and rock – which to me sounds like something very very interesting!
As White Lightening opens I can see what they mean by the fusion idea, there’s a sense of the blues in the guitar line, the bass rocky and the drums pounding enough to keep everything going at a pace, it’s a catchy mix for sure. Keeping everything at a relatively slow pace throughout, this is a track which will straight away engage listeners and make them want to hear more and more, keeping everything accessible and easy to hear so you don’t miss a single moment. The show stealer for me though has to be the vocals, they’re gravelly, raspy and powerful all at the same time. As if to raise the bar further, the solo which kicks in is a pure rock solo, followed by an almost latino section of bass heavy rhythms and more lead lines – this is like a load of musicians from different areas have gotten together and formed a monster of a track, it’s awesome!
I like blues bands normally, but I’m always wary when they try to become too complicated or claim to have combined the ideas of different genres into their music. This isn’t one of those times luckily, and what you’ve got here is a band who can not only play their instruments exceedingly well, but can also craft tracks which are interesting and engaging throughout. This is just the single from the album but I for one cannot wait to hear the full thing!
To find out more about Crow Black Chicken, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Also – see their video for White Lightening below!
As White Lightening opens I can see what they mean by the fusion idea, there’s a sense of the blues in the guitar line, the bass rocky and the drums pounding enough to keep everything going at a pace, it’s a catchy mix for sure. Keeping everything at a relatively slow pace throughout, this is a track which will straight away engage listeners and make them want to hear more and more, keeping everything accessible and easy to hear so you don’t miss a single moment. The show stealer for me though has to be the vocals, they’re gravelly, raspy and powerful all at the same time. As if to raise the bar further, the solo which kicks in is a pure rock solo, followed by an almost latino section of bass heavy rhythms and more lead lines – this is like a load of musicians from different areas have gotten together and formed a monster of a track, it’s awesome!
I like blues bands normally, but I’m always wary when they try to become too complicated or claim to have combined the ideas of different genres into their music. This isn’t one of those times luckily, and what you’ve got here is a band who can not only play their instruments exceedingly well, but can also craft tracks which are interesting and engaging throughout. This is just the single from the album but I for one cannot wait to hear the full thing!
To find out more about Crow Black Chicken, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Also – see their video for White Lightening below!