My favorite Black Crowes member has always been drummer Steve Gorman. Having seen the band live over 30 to 40 times, I can attest to Gorman's ability to drive each and every song with John Bonham like power and precision. So I wasn't taking his absence from the recording of the first new Crowes album in 15 years lightly.
I have now listened to "Happiness Bastards" three times, three different ways. First as advance files off my iPod and through my stereo. I enjoyed it. The second time with headphones on Amazon Music Unlimited. I enjoyed it even more. And then the vinyl arrived. I love this record. And I love you, Steve Gorman, but Brian Griffin is just fine here.
"Bedside Manners" is a nice opener, kicking things off with the type of Stones meets Faces rock and roll the Crowes have been doing for years. Nothing groundbreaking, but ain't nothing wrong with it either! ***
"Rats & Clowns" reminds me too much of "Lickin'" from "Lions." I never liked "Lickin'," with its choppy rhythm and Chris barking as opposed to singing, but the guitar break is a killer, taking a page from the best of AC/DC's early records, and it saved the song for me. **1/2
"Cross Your Fingers" was the second single and I love it just as much now as I did when it was first released. This feels a lot like Led Zeppelin in all the best ways. A really greasey groove. ****
"Wanting & Waiting" was the first single, and I dug it less than the second single, because I couldn't get around the lazy rip of "Jealous Again"...until now. The riff is unbeatable, and those handclaps into the backing vocals before the chorus are to die for. This is great record making. ****
"Wilted Rose" features country sensation Lainey Wilson and it is a solid ballad that is a wonderful way to end Side One. Big instrumental break. ***
"Dirty Cold Sun" explodes off the grooves! I haven't danced around this much in years. This is 3 minutes of fire, Zep and Faces meets Funkadelic. This one is a monster. *****
"Bleed It Dry" is a terrific, sloppy blues that feels like it came out of the "Exile On Main Street" sessions. ***1/2
"Flesh Wound" is weird territory for the Brothers Robinson. Maybe this is all in my head, but if you toned everything down, removed the distortion off the guitars, made the production a tad softer, the melodies and harmonies remind me of something off of "Help" or "Rubber Soul." Def a 60's psych thing happening. I don't love this track. **
"Follow The Moon" has a killer riff but the song doesn't go anywhere. I imagine this is what non-Crowes fans think all of their music sounds like. Still, not terrible. Just that I've heard it before. **1/2
"Kindred Friend" opens up like a Neil Young "Harvest"-era track, and breezes along, though the melody, or maybe it is the way Chris is singing the melody, seems forced. "Wilted Rose" is the better ballad. **1/2
"Happiness Bastards" is a worthy comeback, with at least half of the record rivaling The Black Crowes' best work. I'm happy to have it and after a few spins, I still want more. That's a good sign.
I'm giving it ****, which ranks it higher on my Crowes list than "Amorica," "Lions," "Warpaint," and "Before The frost...Until the Freeze."