Chris Robinson: Brothers Of A Feather : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

This souvenir from Chris and Rich Robinson's 2006 duo tour certifies once and for all that the Georgia-born brothers are the Black Crowes - everything else is rhythm section. Except for the occasional soul-sister harmony vocals, the Robinsons do all of the singing and picking here. It is a full experience too: On electric guitar, Rich has a forceful rhythmic attack - a dirty-treble cluck dotted with rubbery whines - that drives the Crowes songs "Horsehead" (from 1999's By Your Side) and the recent "Magic Rooster Blues" with the mule kick of a whole band. And the extra space around Chris' voice is a chance to hear the controlled heat and reach in his rasp, especially in the country-tears gear of "My Heart's Been Killing Me" and the cover of John Martyn's "Over the Hill." Special mention goes to Chris' "Someday Past the Sunset," a steady, rollin' Dixie-R&B prayer that has a great groove here but deserves the Crowes' full electric swagger - pronto.