Crow Black Chicken play blues music. Seems like somewhat of an obvious statement to those who are familiar with the band, but it’s true. They play some pretty straight down the line blue music. The kind that has no real place, the kind that hides where you’re from. In reality, Crow Black Chicken could be from anywhere if you listen to their new album, ‘Electric Soup’. They are, of course, Irish, and their origins are divided between Cork and Tipperary.
On the face of it, ‘Electric Soup’ is just blues. Nothing else. No hint of rock, funk, jazz, soul, or any of the other genres the band have been associated with. To this listener, they are simply a modern evolution of a blues band, plain and simple.
This would, however, do the band an injustice. Yes, the band have their roots in the scales and rhythms of standard blues-rock. Tracks like Flowers and John The Revelator have their token freak-outs, and singer Christy O’ Hanlon grits his way through his lyrics in the only way he knows how: with a grunt, a gargle and a moan. Quintessential blues.
Beneath the surface though, lies a bit more depth; depth that has been marred slightly by Crow Black Chicken’s haggard exterior. A lot of that depth comes from the lyrics, and they’re not standard fare. The Drop is a good track that hangs on to some nice lyricism and Epitaph is another. The band have an impressive range on song style of the album, ranging from stomping, foot-to-the-floor rock, to waltzy tracks, with a subtle ballad or two thrown in along the way. So ‘Electric Soup’ isn’t all you might expect.
All that considered, Crow Black Chicken haven’t really gone wild with their album. It’s pretty good, but it doesn’t shock and awe. Maybe it doesn’t need to, and maybe you need to experience it live to appreciate it fully (and I have it on good authority that the band put on a fine show). So check it out, just don’t expect to hear something you haven’t heard before.