The Black Crowes - The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion
- FaceOff - עימות חזיתי
- May 12
- 2 min read
On May 12, 1992 "The Black Crowes" released their second album "The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion".
This album is is a raw, swaggering affirmation of "The Black Crowes" Southern rock identity. Following the success of their debut "Shake Your Money Maker", this album strips back commercial polish in favor of a more soulful, groove-heavy sound steeped in blues, gospel, and classic rock influences.
The album takes its title from "The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion", a well-known hymnal first published in 1835 by William Walker.
Similar to their debut album, all the tracks of the album except one (Bob Marley's "Time Will Tell" cover), was written by brothers Chris Robinson & Rich Robinson.
Right from the opening track, “Sting Me,” the band delivers a fiery statement of purpose. Rich Robinson’s riffs are fuzzier, looser, and more confident, while Chris Robinson's vocals exude a mix of grit and gospel fervor. Songs like “Remedy” and “Hotel Illness” feel like outtakes from a long-lost "Rolling Stones" session - especially the former that features Barbara Mitchell and Taj Harmon on gospel style backing vocals.
One of the most compelling elements of the album is the addition of guitarist Marc Ford on lead guitar, replacing Jeff Cease, who was fired the year before. His interplay with Rich Robinson adds a layer of muscularity and texture. Meanwhile, the new addition of keyboardist Eddie Harsch brings a Southern gospel flavor that deepens the album’s rootsy vibe, especially on tracks like “Thorn in My Pride” and “Sometimes Salvation.”
Despite its unapologetically retro leanings that was very different from the musical landscape at the time, which mainly relied mainly on alternative and grunge, "The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion" topped the Billboard 200, a testament to its broad appeal. In hindsight, it’s arguably "The Black Crowes" at their creative peak—a seamless blend of Southern rock, soul, gospel and blues with just the right amount of grit.
The album set a new record by featuring four songs that hit number one on the Album Rock Tracks chart—surpassing the previous record of three, held by Tom Petty since 1989.
It is not surprising then, that "The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion" was placed at number 477 in "Rock Hard magazine’s" book "The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time" and that "Guitar World" ranked it number 100 on its list of the top 100 guitar albums ever.
For Listening: Spotify
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