After a career of constant line-up churn, the video for recent single “Profane Prophecy” would suggest that the Black Crowes are now down to brothers Chris and Rich Robinson and whatever session musicians might be required for the moment. However, nothing much else seems to have changed on the band’s 11th album – which like all of their previous discs, sounds like it could have fitted in snuggly with the release schedule of 1973 and headed straight for the Hot 100.
That said, Black Crowes fans clearly aren’t looking for anything particularly innovative when they press play on any of their favourite tunes and anyone in love with the Stones’ Exile on Main Street, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s first album or even Primal Scream’s Give Out but Don’t Give Up will have heard plenty of this kind of stuff before. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a place for A Pound of Feathers. This type of music isn’t regarded as “classic” for no reason.
However, there are only so many times anyone would want to hear the original sounds of the early 1970s – and this is when the Black Crowes’ new album might make an appearance. For A Pound of Feathers is most definitely an unapologetic tribute to music from more than 50 years ago and it’s doubtful that anyone would seriously suggest otherwise. Indeed, slide guitars, Southern fried soulful blues-rock sounds, choirs of female backing singers and testosterone-powered lyrical clichés like “let the demons find you” and “don’t call the doctor, don’t call the priest” because “the good times never end” push to the fore on the likes of “Pharmacy Chronicles”, while Chris Robinson howls “I need a lover, I don’t need a friend” on “It’s Like That”.
Still, as any music venue manager will tell you, tribute bands are what consistently sell the most tickets in these economically challenging times. So, it’s highly unlikely that A Pound of Feathers will go down like a lead balloon. Even in 2026.
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