Thursday, August 26, 2010

Croweology Revealed

There is nothing better than a band doing a tribute to themselves, acoustically.  It's the raw sound and the heart of the songs that appeals to us all.  This album is anything but short.  It consists of 20 tracks and 2 bonus tracks ranging from everything from the early 1990's to the mid 2000's including a few classic covers the band has made there own.  Listening to this album makes you feel as if you are sitting on the couch with the band playing right next to you.  Luther's mandolin, Rich's soft touch and the distinct soulful voice of Chris on Girl From a Pawnshop is absolutely immaculate.  This album demands the respect of any musical ear whether it be country or blues, these guys have poured their heart out on this one. 

They can appeal to many audiences for sure, but it seems that they get the most criticism for not being as hard as they were in the 90's.  There is no doubt that the sound has changed over the years, but you wouldn't notice it in there live performances.  The edge is still there and the soul that fills the voids.  Croweology is feeding off the soul in this one.  When you listen to "My Morning Song," it's like sitting in on a Sunday morning choir with the neighborhood baptists. 

I for one would recommend this album to anyone, and I give it 7.5 out of 8 guitars.
I think, for the money, these guys will pay off and hopefully they keep touring after their hiatus.






By Dan Allen

P.S. All My Love

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Can There Ever Be A Perfect Playlist?

I was loading up the mp3 player with the perfect playlist, chalked full with everything from Anita Baker to Warren Zevon. I thought this was it. I finally have a playlist that will soothe the beasts at the workplace. It should have all the bases covered, yet by the second song, Neil Young has offended two people and I am ridiculed for putting one of the legends of rock & roll on the playlist. About an hour later I hear from someone in the back, “if I hear another Cake song, I will go postal.” Can there ever be a “perfect playlist?”

Why is it that people can’t get through a song these days? We all used to do it listening to the radio. Remember when MTV actually played videos and we would watch it all day just to catch the latest Bon Jovi video? We would put up with Cindy Lauper and Simple Minds and not think twice about changing the channel. Well, the luxury of having everything controlled in our life by the touch of a button has left us spoiled and rotten. Next, not in the mood for that one…next, that’s too slow…next, oh yeah I haven’t heard that one in a while…next. Before you know it, you are pushing the next button more than you are actually listening to the music. Maybe a heavy dose of music Adderall is what this world needs.

What would be on your perfect playlist??? Let me have it. I am in the search of the “perfect playlist” and I want your feedback. Post your songs in the comment section of this article.

By Dan Allen

Monday, August 23, 2010

Will The Music Of Today Survive The Mayans???

The end of the Mayan calender is approaching, December 21, 2012.  Do you have your water, canned goods and armaments stocked away?  The real question is NOT whether mankind will survive, but rather, will the music of today be destroyed?

Some may think that today's music is the best thing since the invention of instant messaging, while others believe there is some kind of conspiracy against good old fashion rock 'n roll.  I would fall into the latter of the two.  Other than a few true rockinrollas,  I am counting on Katy Perry to go down with the ashes.  With little than dozens of "one hit wonders" that are popping up on the scene every week, it's only a matter of time before Justin Bieber will hit the, Peter Brady voice crack, that ended Hanson, 'Lil Bow Wow and list of other young pop singers that fell into the shadow of music.

Can there be light shed on bands like Kings of Leon, or Wolfmother?  These guys are touring hard and are writing all of their own material.  There is something to be said about a song that has true meaning behind it.  You won't catch a true rockinrolla buying a song from the national archives, it comes from the heart and the experience of being on tour.  That's why rock 'n roll has survived all these years.

It's good to know that when the end of the Mayan calendar reaches it's final day, rock 'n roll will still be there to guide you away from the fireballs of the apocalypse.  You won't find Brittney Spears, or Lady Gaga slaying the zombies of the underground, and lord knows that Justin Bieber will be trying to find out how to log on to his Twitter account to tell his fans that he needs some electricity to blow dry his hair.

One Hell of a Run

It's been 20 years, minus a few years of turmoil, not speaking to each other, and changing some guitarist out for The Black Crowes.  There epic run began in 1990 when the Brothers of a Feather, Chris and Rich Robinson released their first single.  From that moment on, I became a fan. 

There sound has gone through many diverse tunings over the years, but so did the Stones and the Beatles.  That is why they have survived through the changing tides of music.  It's about being a chameleon.  It's about celebrating the sound  Lets face it, it's about not letting go of something that makes you feel good!  There sound, ounce per ounce, is worth its weight in gold, my friend and ff you haven't seen a show, this is your last time you will catch these guys for a while. 

This blog will help keep the flame burning, while the band is on hiatus.  I am counting on all of you to post stories, experiences and questions to fuel the anticipation of their return.  Please tell all about this blog by sharing a link on your website.

Peace Anyway,

Danallen18