The Black Crowes – Happiness Bastards

I am a long-time fan of The Black Crowes and the Robinson brothers’ various side projects. I was disappointed that Chris and Rich could not find a way to get along to keep their rock ‘n roll train rolling. Right before the pandemic, the brothers mended fences to cash in on the 20th anniversary of their brilliant debut Shake Your Money Maker (1989). That tour, like everything, got paused due to Covid. The tour got going once the world opened up and in 2022 they released an EP of covers inspired by the year 1972. Hopefully, new music was on the way. The brothers have continued to get along: there is more touring and now a new album: Happiness Bastards.

The new album sounds great. They have taken a deep inhale of the Stones, Faces, AC/DC, and Aerosmith and exhaled a cloud of their unique brand of country-fried jam band boogie swagger.  It is great to have them back.  Nothing new here, but that is ok with me – just finely crafted rock ’n roll (although the collaboration with Lainey Wilson is a nice new spice).  

Here are some track-by-track thoughts:

“Bedside Manners” – Blasts off with classic Crowes’ swagger.

“Rats and Clowns” – Has an AC/DC groove that makes you want to wiggle.

“Cross Your Fingers” – opens with a gorgeous acoustic intro. Chris’ vocals are tender. Then it blasts off with a Led Zepplin-like swagger.

“Wanting and Waiting” was the teaser single back in January and it signaled the boys were back. A bit of an AC/DC groove but clearly with a Crowes’ twist. It rocks! The organ is insane.

“Wilted Rose” (featuring Lainey Wilson)- Happiness Bastards is produced by Jay Joyce who also produces Wilson. I listened to a Chris Robinison podcast and the collaboration with Wilson seemed pretty organic and not clickbait. Wilson’s contribution is perfect – a nice spice to the meal, without overshadowing it.

“Bleed It Dry” has an opening riff that would make Keef proud and Chris’ vocal move like Jagger’s.

“Dirty Cold Sun” is some more Stonesy greaze – tightly sloppy.

“Flesh Wound” – has a fun pop-punk vibe that shows early influences were as much indie rock as classic rock.

“Follow the Moon” has a wonderful classic rock intro – look out riff-master Joe Walsh!

“Kindred Friend” closes the album on a gentle note. This is a gorgeous acoustic-based ballad with a Joe Walsh inflection to Chris’ voice

Overall – Happiness Bastards is not a pivot or reinvention – just more of the Crowes’ brilliant craftsmanship. Maybe that is why the cover art is a semi-transparent whitewashing of The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (my vote for the best in their catalog) album with the album title sloppily scrawled on it (the black cover is a similar concept to Shake Your Money Maker).