Chris Robinson Brotherhood
Big Moon Ritual
Album · Rock · 2012
The Black Crowes' Chris Robinson has always championed the values of '60s and '70s rock 'n' roll, with a passion only slightly obscured by the fact that The Black Crowes were a hugely successful rock 'n' roll band in the '90s. They turned back the clock without being a retro act. Now, despite various reunions, it seems The Black Crowes have gone down in flames—but Robinson's love of music means he's formed a newer band. (Despite the group's name, it doesn't include his brother, Rich Robinson.) These are songs that require their length. The laidback jams add to the atmosphere and are meant to be heard as one relaxes with headphones on the couch or in the fields during a festival. The playing is loose and inspired, with "Tulsa Yesterday" feeling like a lost track from the Grateful Dead/Allman Brothers Band era. "Rosalee" adds funk. "Star or Stone" mixes electric piano and acoustic guitar for a bittersweet ballad.