Happiness Bastards, The Black Crowes 10th album. This is a band that I only knew their two or three hits from the 90’s but came to really appreciate a few years ago. It’s been 15 years since their last album of original material, 14 since any album at all. Let’s see if they still have it.
They come storming out of the gates with Bedside Manners and Rats and Clowns, they are definitely NOT showing their age.
Wanting and Waiting is as good as anything they’ve put out. Definitely the highlight of the album.
Wilted Rose is the song where everyone goes and gets a beer during a concert.
Bleed It Dry is very bluesy, nothing really unique about it, not bad but pretty forgettable.
A couple more solid rockers before ending with Kindred Friend, a nice ballad, something the Black Crowes have always been pretty good at.
When a band takes more than a decade off it’s usually a bad sign. You get hyped for the new album and then realize the band would have probably been better off going out on a high note. This isn’t the case with Happiness Bastards. It’s probably their best album since 1994’s Amorica.
Reasons to get this album:
- You liked anything from their 90’s albums.
- Straight up rock, no gimmicks.
- There is no filler on this album.
Reasons not to get this album:
- You don’t like blues mixed in with your rock.
- It’s a very solid album, but there’s nothing groundbreaking.
- Can’t come up with a 3rd reason.
- Bedside manners (3:41) –
- Rats and Clowns (3:34) –
- Cross Your Fingers (3:50) –
- Wanting and Waiting (4:16) –
- Wilted Rose (feat. Lainey Wilson) (5:07) –
- Dirty Cold Sun (3:06) –
- Bleed It Dry (2:57) –
- Flesh Wound (3:35) –
- Follow the Moon (3:26) –
- Kindred Friend (4:30) –
OVERALL –
Jay Loves Music 