Reviews (page 5 of 9)
At first I thought, maybe this is pretty good, you know, for 1990. Ultimately though, it’s a solid 3/5, neither worse nor better than that. The best thing it did was lead me over to the amazing old Elmore James song this album is named after. But why grab this on the way to your funeral when you could choose some classic blues—maybe even something by Elmore James himself?
In many ways, the Black Crowes were needed in the 90s to keep the idea of classic American/Southern Rock alive. They embraced this role and created some excellent singles and a solid album. Ultimately, though, I had trouble figuring out whether they were a really great band or talented musicians that do a great impression of classic rock music.
Nice one.
This was pleasant enough. There were some catchy songs (I knew more of them than anticipated.) It feels like great background music for a restaurant or a party but never quite reached the heights I wanted from a band that has had a 35 year career.
426/1089 - Before starting this project I hadn't really thought about "originality" much in music. I think people appreciate when something new is brought to the table but over-emphasize the "new" aspect of it rather than appreciating the craft that goes into that something. I also think people, including me, have a tendency to dismiss something brought to the table that's derivative or similar to something else, again forgetting to appreciate the craft that goes into that something. Of course, nothing can be entirely new, everything an individual makes is informed by their own unique experiences and if something were to be completely new to an audience it would probably sound quite alien and off-putting. I think it's worth it sometimes to listen to music like this where nothing is really "new" but you might enjoy the experience and appreciate the unique craftsmanship. I mean I didn't, but you might!
Some pretty good rock-infused blues, although the album cover made me believe that I would hear something a bit heavier. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this album. Great energy throughout the whole thing. Favourite tracks: Twice As Hard, Hard To Handle, Struttin' Blues, Stare It Cold 3.5/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pretty tight as far as blues rock goes. Probably won't listen again tho - This album's really nothing to write home about. Honestly, go listen to some Faces instead. You hear they got Rod Stewart?
This debut from The Black Crowes is a solid, if highly derivative, slice of Southern rock that feels like a time capsule from 1973 despite dropping in 1990. While some call it generic, there’s no denying the tight musicianship and Chris Robinson’s charismatic vocals. It’s a polished, energetic homage to the Rolling Stones and The Faces, perfect for a summer drive with the windows down, even if it doesn't always break new ground. The clear standout is the cover of Otis Redding’s "Hard To Handle", which arguably outshines the original with its infectious groove. Along with hits like "She Talks To Angels" and "Twice As Hard," the album balances gritty blues-rock with soulful ballads. It’s a safe classic that might not give you goosebumps, but it’s an undeniably fun listen that proved pure, unadulterated rock-and-roll still had a place in the pre-grunge era.
Pub rock
Perfectly pleasant without being outstanding in any way. I might have known one of the tracks, but otherwise this was new stuff for me. Quite liked the vaguely AC/DC vocal sound on a couple of numbers, but I’m unlikely to ever listen to this again.
Pretty alright, man.
Nice but could’ve been better!
Very MOTR 🤷♂️
decent album overall
I haven't listened to this since the 90s, and I'm reminded why listening again. You know how you can apply the lyrics of an AC/DC song to basically any other AC/DC song? Like you'll hear a chord change and and think "Wait. Which song am I listening to again?" The Black Crowes have this same quality. For example, at one point during Could I've Been So Blind did your brain start following along to Jealous Again? This album is admittedly fun, but it's not special in any other way. That's okay though; music can just be for fun. I just don't think an album that's JUST fun should be on a list of essential albums. I enjoyed the nostalgia while listening. Thinking about listening to Jealous Again, Hard to Handle, and She Talks to Angels in my high school best friend's room was a nice memory, but that has been over 30 years. Those are times that are behind me, as are the times when I listen to the Black Crowes on purpose ⭐⭐⭐
I feel like the movie of this band has a "building the band" montage where like the piano guy is playing at a dueling pianos bar and really lights up the other piano guy and the guitarist and drummer are sitting in a booth and look at each other and nod their heads and the next shot is the three of them walking together. Sure why not. It's great for what it is
Two days in a row of straight mid?! I'm here for it!
I pretty much know the Black Crowes as the band that gets put on the lineup to headline a random festival that they really have no business headlining
Most of it is just generic rock. It's solid, but nothing jumps out at me. The slower songs are better. Sister Luck had some nice guitar work, and She Talks To Angels was really nice. Best song: She Talks To Angels
I soent a lot of time musing over the fact thaf despite listening to this album quite a lot when it came out, I never carried it with me, and then it dawned on me that I used this as a gateway to other artists.
Ah the Black Crowes. I have seen them twice and their leads other band once. Never once have I bought a ticket to see them. Twice at Bonnaroo and once because I loved the other band on the bill. Don't take this to mean they are bad. They aren't, I enjoyed every show I've seen. I enjoy their albums. There is just something about them that makes me not excited. Like when this came up in the rotation I went oh cool. I listened, enjoyed it, but never once was I excited by it. I knew the lyrics, it wasn't boring, but I didn't ever want to belt out the lyrics in my car. It's like a seeing a stand up and you never laugh out loud, but you have a lot of sensible chuckles.
Eh, it was fine but pretty standard rock and roll; nothing too major or groundbreaking or whatever.
Pretty solid all the way through
Some classic good rock!
Would have never expected an album from 1990 to sound like this
This was sort of a mixed bag for me. First off this album has a couple of massive hit songs for 90/00s rock radio. Those hits were so big if you grew up listening to that type of music at that time you were probably sick to death of these songs the same way I still am. It’s not that the music is bad or “least common denominator” type of music, it’s just that all of the best songs on this album have been over exposed to me. This album is in the same part of my brain as Motley Crue’s Dr.feelgood, Soundgarden’s Superunkown, Ac/Dc’s LIVE (one of the greatest live albums of all time but basically a “best of” album like most live albums) these are just albums that I listened to on repeat to the point that as an adult I’m kind of sick of them even though I can admit I like the music. That’s the problem with this album is half of it is just sort of filler, and the parts where this album really shine, I’m just sick to death of. So I won’t give it a bad review for being popular, but I have to be honest about how I feel and this album just feels like forced regurgitation. Which would also be a great name for an old school Death Metal album!
-so far it is sounding like typical 80s rock -hard to handle is a fun song -I enjoyed it, but not much to say
It's good, and a few songs are elevated to great, but overall it is derivative blues rock that has been grossly overplayed.
They have a good sound but nothing really stood out. Sounds like a band that would play at live music bar or at a fair.
Review - pretty standard blues/southern rock. I can see why it was popular when it was, and this band are quite unfortunate that Nirvana hit the mainstream just a year later. It's a bit surprising that they came after Guns n Roses as they're a bit of a softer version of that type of sound. They're a bit better though as they're not so self-consciously "hard rock". The covers and the ballads are the better songs here, but I can see how they could've been derided as "GnR for your mum". Not in a rush to listen again but it wasn't offensively bad. Rating: 5.5/10 Need to listen? YES
Rock
Довольно стандартный, ничем не выделяющийся блюз-рок, который и особого коммерческого успеха не снискал, и у критиков не был прям в фаворе, они скорее похлопывали по плечу, чем возносили. И мне нахождение этого альбома в этом списке не очень понятно.
Не сразу заметил год, поэтому из-за обложки и жанра подумал, что это снова 70ые. В целом ожидал худшего, а получилось вполне бодро. Ничего особенного, но на несколько прослушиваний сойдет. P.S. Нил Янг база, второй по любимости его альбом. То, что в этом комьюнити у него пока оценка ниже, чем у пресного альбома Долли Партон - без комментариев.
Лучшая песня: Struttin' Blues Худшая: Could I've Been So Blind Уже надоела подобная музыка в этой подборке. Будто нет других жанров на свете для составителей топа. Я молчу уже про то, что не будет явно экстремального метала никогда, ни условного транса. Зато можно послушать 100 одинаковых блюз-рок альбомов
хорошо 3.5, удивился, думал они менее популярны
This was another k.d. lang situation; I wasn't feeling it for the first half, but I found myself enjoying it more by the second half. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but they provide some solid tracks and they perform them with good energy. Standout Tracks: Twice As Hard, Hard to Handle, She Talks to Angels Score: C+
Bluesy, hårdrock. Inte så speciellt som ryktet gör gällande. Ganska platt faktiskt. Men kompetent. En trea
These guys are good but not a band I need to listen to on the regular.
Enjoyed this more than I expected. Good old American rock and roll
Disfrute mucho este disco. Nunca lo había escuchado. Un disco muy efectivo, muy cool y MUY genérico (en el mejor de los sentidos). Tiene todos los elementos que un disco de rock debe tener. Progresiones armónicas sencillas, riffs pegadizos, arreglos de piano, voces roncas pero, a su vez, melódicas, coros consonantes y bien ensamblados y puentes poderosos, con solos incluidos, para rematar cada canción con una energía contagiable y digna del género. Muy buen disco, funciona bien y no se porque es la primera vez que lo escucho, esta plataforma me recuerda cada día que no se nada de música. Ahora, no es el género que mas disfruto pero valoro por encima de mis gustos la calidad del disco y que esta muy bien hecho.
Stoner chic.
Sparkly and tubey David takes himself very seriously on this. Somehow pretentious hippy music. Should be something i like, but I don’t.
i mean it was alright but didn’t give me anything crazy.
Uninteresting but fun
Talk to Angel's is special. Otherwise I'd kind of prefer the house band at the Double Deuce: Jeff "Cody" Healey.
Nothing special. Some boring Southern rock. Most of the tracks sound similar to each other. 2.5 stars. And it only gets that rating because I like the genre.
confused them with the black keys who I am eh about. I am also eh about this 2.5
This started out pretty mediocre but some of the songs grew on me and would relisten. Overall not very exciting. Top Songs: Hard to Handle, She Talks to Angels
Not bad
1/21/26. Good, loud rock and roll. Nothing fancy or sophisticated, just straight up music. A couple of the songs I enjoyed more than most, but every song is decent.
6/10
90s rock. Debut. Good natured, generic rock.
Great
Solid 3.5.
Good
Ya dad's favourite rock band 3 stars for me on the higher end of 3 stars though, because it did sound a little generic however you know what I really did actually enjoy listening to it and at the end of that's what matters not so much how technical it is. Standouts songs, 'twice as hard' , 'she talks to angels' and 'stare it cold'. Classic rock sound, fuck yeh 🤟
Sounded a lot liked vintage Rolling Stones.
Don't mind the opening song but otherwise agree with wiz-kid, the strong stuff like Chris Robinson spitting through the pretty great 30 or so fast syllables chorus of Otis Redding's Hard to Handle is limited to the second side on an otherwise nothing special blues rock album. Funny roll of the dice hearing this back to back with Rod Stewart - unfair comparison given its their first album, but Rod can sing the lights out on similar material compared to Chris's, well, limited emotional range.
If you told me a year ago I'd be leaving a review for Shake Your Money Maker by the Black Crowes at 5am on a Friday I'd call BS. But here we are... This one grew on me after 3 listens, but really only rhe back half where it feels like they really start to lean into all of the instrumentation more. The back half sits at a whole other level for me, whereas the front I find super mediocre. I think on first listen after the first 3 songs (with the exception of the guitar and piano solos at the end of Jealous Again) I was ready to write it in as another super mid rock album that somehow made its way on to the list. So I kinda started to tune out. But on 2nd listen the back half started to actually sound really good? So I listened again, yup front half was slow and annoying (ie JEALOUSSSS JEALOUSS AGAIINNNN JEALOUSSSS JEALOUSS AGAINNN JEALOUSS JEALOU.. we get it dude... oh my lordddddy) but the 2nd half actually kinda starting with Seeing Things when some female vocals came in, it actually starts to sound like really good bluesy southern rock! Pianoooo, organ, acoustic, electric, so much fun and a real good showing of that southern soul when it comes to the rock genre, ending off with a banger of a song Stare it Cold. Where are the 2 biggest hits on this thang, why in the 2nd half of course! Was about to write this off as another twangy bangy buncha bar music, glad I gave it another shot though. Front half 5.5/10 Back half 8/10 Unfortunately two halves do make a whole as we all learnt in kindergarten. & 6 songs dont make an album unless you're a jazz musician. So this one gets a 7/10 from me.
I Didn't mind it. Hat mir gute Laune auf de
Pretty good 90s stuff. A stand out single, but the rest very background for me. I enjoyed it, but wouldn't be a top album in my opinion.
I enjoyed this one, not heard of these guys before so it was a pleasant surprise to listen for the first time. Standout tracks Twice As Hard, Hard To Handle and She Talks To Angels.
Solid blues rock in an era of grungy melancholy
3 for the hits. Otherwise 2 for generic bar rock with solid production.
Solid and inoffensive, a few enjoyable tracks but mostly generic rock.
Ok
Can't say that it's something special, I don't think I will come back to it again in the nearest future. It wasn't a bad experience though, Instrumentals are great and it is a great example of rock and roll
Good album! I love rock and roll!
Solid enough classic rock. Feels just kinda like average dad rock throughout. The two songs everyone knows from the album - "Hard to Handle" and "She Talks to Angels", are really the only two songs one needs to hear. Still, fairly inoffensive and consistent. Not bad.
Pretty good, bluey rock
Similar to the last album, I just like this album was very generic. It was ok but i don’t think i’ll actively listen to it again
fun
I always thought of these guys as more hype than sustance. Really kind of a two-hit wonder, and one of those hits is a cover anyway. Then again I'd never listened to the album. Twice as Hard is a strong opening track, and most of the other tracks pretty much sound in the similar vein. If you love the singles, you'll like this album. For me, I don't mind the singles, and much of the album doesn't really sound super original. It's not a bad album, just not super exciting. Just decent blues rock. 3/5
Not a fan
An ok album i guess
It was fun and jovial and comedic. Quite repetitive and no songs stood out to me too much. I enjoyed listening, but more for the fun of it. It really feels like from another time. Also the lyrics were quite bizarre!
A very competent Rock and Roll album (way more singles I’m familiar with than I realized), but there’s something missing that I can’t quite put my finger on. All of it (the vocals, the lyrics, the riffs) lack any distinction, it feels like a really good AI version of a rock band.
I can see the appeal in the 90s, but it sounds like a bunch of white dude singing gospel.
I feel this perfectly adequate debut album is dwarfed by a sublime cover of Hard to handle - the bastard child of Zep and the stones
Fan! Jag hade skrivit ganska rejält men det försvann. Kontenta typ: Syskonplatta till Primal Screams "Give out but don't give up" och den gillar jag ju. Kanske någon mer fallgrop här, men bra, överlever trean
Pas mon style mais il y a quelques titres sympas
Never heard this album before Not bad! Good to hear 'Hard to Handle' again
Very average as far as rock goes, sounded like they wanted to be a 70's rock group but didn't really try that hard
Classic 90s rock vibes; didn't realize I've already heard a few of their songs. Good road trip music
The most generic-sounding early 90's rock you can get. Hits on the album for sure, but just so generic sounding. Music you would expect to hear at Home Depot in the early 90's. I'd say 2.5 - I guess I will round up because 2 seems low. 3 it is...
Hahhhh! Hahhhh ta hanna naaaah! Oh yeah! These guys are the real deal eh? Kinda reminds me of a more country Aerosmith.
Meh. Combining British white guy blues with crotch rock isn't really my thing
ah bluesrock? das isch no 80er es isch pre-nirvana explosion. die erste zwei songs hend mi etz null berauscht. sister luck isch chli 90er vom gsang her, aber s isch afoch guete bluesrock. sehr gross. hard to handle findi no geil. es isch immerno afoch bluesrock. cools solo. tönt alles huere guet cooli gitis würkli. she talks to angels au cute. ich gseh langsam wases macht. es wird zimli sicher es 3. aber halt guete bluesrock. mueni respektiere. okay letsti zwei songs schono cool, letste het slide giti ich ha gern. ich glaub für so gueti songs mueni fadt es vieri geh. ich etnscheid sponti.
twice as hard kenni vo iwo hanis gfühl jo AMIS bis jz nöd schlecht aber gfühlt scho 729 mal ghört und das auno früehner als 1990 sister luck hani na gern gha! seeing things het schöne backgroundgsang hard tot handle isch chli langwilig han ehrlichgseit na easy spass gha! glaub auchli musig, wommer als chind glost hend? 3.5, wills nüt megaa speziells isch und scho vorher gmacht worde (hanis gfühl) DRAI
Last time I heard these guys is when I watched Metallica live at Moscow from '91 or '90 and remember liking them, so this will be interesting, a blues rock revival of sorts. Ok, after one full listen enjoyed this quite a lot, a decent blues rock cut, probably 3.5/5.0 ON RYM so here could go either way, I am very generous so far with this list. Strong Zeppelin and Aerosmith influence here, perhaps not surprisingly the best track was "Hard to Handle" which was written by Mr. Otis Redding.
Adequate bar rock
Fine... enjoyable enough for a one off i guess
Great album. At times it sounds as if they were taking cues from the Sticky Fingers/Exile On Main Street era Rolling Stones. If so, not a bad pedigree. Good stuff.
Its in the middle point where Glam Rock and Grunge would intersect. An interesting listen, but probably was a lightning in a bottle situation, if it was released earlier it wouldn't be accepted and later it would've been way out of place with the alternative/grunge sceene.
It was enjoyable but i dont remember a single track and thats a worry
I'm sure that I have seen these live a couple of times. And though I'm not a massive fan they are a decent band. And this album is typical of their output. Good solid dort of bluesy rock. At times very like the stones. Now although this is a very creditable album its not outstanding in any way. Its a very high 3, 3.8ish, but would devalue other 4's that I have awarded if I were going to give it one of them. So 3 it'll have to be.
If you know someone that aspires to be in a rock band and make it big, this is an album you could give them. It proves that you don't really have to be exceptional to be famous and make the cash. Rough? Sure. Accurate? Definitely. I don't think there's one musician here that is exceptional. The drummer hits that 4/4. The bassist stays in lockstep. The guitars are serviceable. Fine, but nothing memorable/new/interesting. The singer's voice is fine. Like, of course he's experienced and trained a bit, but there's nothing interesting/different about his voice. Sounds like a million other young white dudes. All of that sounds like I hate it. I don't. It's fine. The singles are the best part of it and are the only one's that sound like they've put in a little extra effort. (Good job, producer guy!) It's a 3 with the 1 star bump putting them there because of "Hard to Handle" and "She Talks to Angels". Otherwise, this sounds like a 2 star recording of a pretty good bar band.
3.4 2x a couple of memorable tracks but overall not in my top
this the shit ur dad plays in his truck
fav song: hard to handle my dad already showed me the only good song on this album smh
A fine album, but not my kinda thing.
very good rock
Im still not a fan of live albums as an introduction to a band, but this has good energy and was fun. Way too long but not bad
Classic 90's rock, easy listening. 6/10
Best Track - "Hard To Handle"
acdc but refined
Pretty good rock ‘n roll. Can’t complain. I definitely think 70s rock trumps 80s for me. Not sure the 80s always lands for me. But these fellas ain’t bad. Lost a League game to ts.
Good
Middle of the road good, about a 3. Probably wouldn't skip past anything in the album but wouldn't go out of my way to put it on.
Good variety of beats, good vocal, good album.
Better than Coldplay
Okay, I’ll shake my money maker, though not when anyone is watching. I’m a really bad dancer
yeah well it's a rock album
Forgot about this band, though I did like them back in the day. So on the negative side, they didn’t hold up as memorable for me. But a few good songs I still like, and a big improvement over the preceding decade of 80s rock. I enjoyed listening after all these years but probably won’t play it again.
I very much enjoy the Black Crowes This album always left me wanting more though. It definitely feels like a warm-up. Some of the songs just feel half baked. She Talks to Angels is definitely excellent. Their second album, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion is an absolute rock masterpiece of the 90’s.
This was cute inoffensive dad rock
Decent but derivative. Feels like the soundtrack to a direct-to-video musical biopic for someone more famous, but they couldn't clear the music rights.
I listened to it 3 times, not my genre, but not offensive.
Overall a fine album. Nothing exciting but nothing terrible. Something inoffensive to play in the background
Very well-done with a couple good songs. It did get a little monotonous at a certain point. Best song: She Talks to Angels
Good roots rock/Southern rock album from the early 90s. It doesn't sound really dated which is nice though overall it didn't grab me very much. It's the kind of music I would enjoy in a pub or live concert though.
Not bad, again not the type of music I enjoy listening to
Decent
Liked this more than I thought I would. Catchy riffs, I like the rhythm throughout. Big fan of rock music with singers who can actually hold a tune.
Ive heard most of these... Not really a fan but I get it
Great dad blues-rock. A few bangers and the rest is pretty solid. Very enjoyable/easy listen
Had the same vibes as Aerosmith to me, but just sounded better.
A bit boring for my liking. Much prefer the Otis Redding version of Hard to Handle. This version adds nothing. All a bit 'meh' really.
My fav song was Mr. Jones
Decent album, good debut. Maybe they should be in the RnR HOF.
Genre - Southern Rock 1 - Twice as Hard - 7/10 2 - Jealous Again - 7/10 3 - Sister Luck - 6/10 4 - Could I've Been So Blind - 7/10 5 - Seeing Things - 7/10 6 - Hard To Handle - 8/10 7 - Thick N' Thin - 7/10 8 - She Talks To Angels - 7/10 9 - Struttin' Blues - 7/10 10 - Stare It Cold - 7/10 Every song kinda sounds the same
Very middle of the road contemporary-adult/dad rock. Something you'd hear at the dentist office. Not bad but also never what I'm looking for with the genre. 5/10 (2.5/5)
Very fun and evergetic. Pairs well with crocheting or doing taxes.
Couple very strong songs. Hard to Handle is a great version. But many forgettable tracks
High-key mid, generally fine but nothing exciting, mid/high 2
Some solid rock tracks on here but some not so much.
Okaish Southern Rock which perfectly goes to the Background of a bar there is not a lot of tempo variation.
It’s alright, just doesn’t really do anything new or interesting. Probably won’t listen again.
me gustó pero creo que no es digo que escucharía en este momento
Decent, bluesy and a bit heavier than expected 3.5/5
• 3/5 • Talent and energy abound, but the sound is so derivative. Eminently listenable, but not memorable.
чуть менее мелодично чем интересно долго слушать. но в целом неожиданно
If the brief is to rewrite a bunch of Stones songs over and over again, then this passes with flying colours. Clean-to-crunch tone, big chord-based angular riffs with the classic Keef hammer-ons, weaving guitars with a rich, Ronnie-like lead. 'Sister Luck' goes to the lengths of replicating both Keith's angular open riffing, and Ronnie's blues licks over the top. 'Could I've Been So Blind' even has a middle eight that just rips 'Brown Sugar'. 'Seeing Things' goes a bit No Expectations and brings in a Fool to Cry organ. 'Jealous Again' has the perfect Stones tribute tone, with twinkling piano, it's much like 'Its Only Rock n Roll'. The Stones comparisons are endless. And the irony may be that Mick and co were watching from their Steel Wheels vantage point and weeping with envy that they were being beaten at their own game. They were mid-20s when they recorded this. This highlights the problem - it's not how derivative it is; the problem is the lack of the raw energy expected of a debut. This sounds like mid-career journeymen, content with not pushing boundaries and relentless in their formulaicness (yes, it's a fucking word). A collection of tasty hooks, even if the songs don't always do them justice, the opening two tracks and the career defining Hard to Handle cover gets it to a 'good' status.
Hard to Handle is definitely the main attraction here. Rest of the album is fine I guess.
At times, dollar store Lynyrd Skynyrd. Other times, dollar store Rolling Stones.
A classic rock album that feels like it could be featured in a 90s/00s film Highlights: - Twice As Hard - Jealous Again - Could I’ve Been So Blind
Favorite: Seeing Things Similar to AC/DC or Guns'n'Roses but not as good
Good Southern rock stuff, I liked about half the songs, lots of these hit for sure
Meh. Middle of the road 90’s rock. Nothing wrong with it, nothing great about it.
It’s an okay album. The blues/rock mashup is done well and the singer has a good voice for this style. 3/5 Might listen again
I don’t really listen to much blues, so don’t have any good insight, but sounded quite similar to Lynard Skynard to me. Bit one paced overall, and no songs really stood out to me on first listen but solid.
It's a fine blues rock album, but pretty generic and forgettable. I could very easily see any of the songs being played as background noise in a bar on Broadway and I'd enjoy them in that context, but they wouldn't make the cut for a roadtrip playlist. Hard to Handle has a popular chorus, but the rest of the song falls flat
Pretty good but all the tracks blend together
Nice album. Soft 90s rock 6/10
Okay for what they do, but the album was fairly samey blues rock. It was a relief at time before the existence of streaming when all you could find on the radio was predominantly grunge and new jack swing, but with the passage of time and the existence of streaming service options this album seems a bit too similar samey over the whole album. Has the 2 hits and that's about it. If this album came had come out only a year later in 1991, during the 60 days that changed rock, it would have been completely forgettable. A serviceable album, but not a vital album that anyone needs to hear. Doesn't bring anything that other blues rockers before them weren't doing. Not even one of the best albums of the 1990s, much less of all time.
This scratches the blues rock itch that the 90’s is lacking, I think. Don’t think about it too much and this album is great. The mega singles are great and the rest is run of the mill blues rock but it’s all good. Cool that they could get this off the ground during the hair metal to grunge transition. Following the faces album, I have to knock this down to a 3.
Foot-stomping, pelvic-thrusting, 4-on-the-floor rock with ballads sprinkled in. A perfect mix of memorable lyrics and easy chord progressions makes a banger record! I don't think my mom listens to the Black Crowes, but I wouldn't be surprised if I saw her getting jiggy with it at a CCV party with a 10 piece band playing. Nothing insulting about the Black Crowes, just not my thing. Hard to Handle is obviously great. There were a couple of other songs that popped out a little bit, but I don't feel like making the three mouse clicks to figure out which ones they were. 3/5 i guess idk ^i wrote this review on the third song of the album. such a predictable album. I nailed it
En 1990, le paysage musical était pour le moins... contrasté. Le glam metal, permanenté et fardé, vivait ses dernières heures de gloire commerciale, tandis que dans l'ombre, le grunge de Seattle commençait à affûter ses guitares sales et ses angoisses existentielles. C'est dans ce grand écart stylistique qu'a déferlé une tornade venue de Géorgie : The Black Crowes, avec leur premier album, "Shake Your Money Maker". À l'époque, ce fut une véritable bouffée d'air frais, un retour aux sources salvateur qui semblait presque anachronique. Mais trente ans après, l'écoute révèle une œuvre au double visage, aussi foudroyante par moments qu'étrangement figée à d'autres. Il est impossible de nier l'impact et la qualité fulgurante de certains titres qui ont porté cet album au sommet des charts. Le premier qui vient à l'esprit est bien évidemment leur reprise survoltée de "Hard to Handle" d'Otis Redding. C'est le morceau signature, celui qui a défini le groupe aux yeux du grand public. Et à juste titre. Le riff est d'une efficacité redoutable, la section rythmique chaloupe avec un groove irrésistible, et la voix de Chris Robinson, ce jeune loup éraillé et arrogant, explose de charisme. C'est un condensé de rock 'n' roll pur jus, une déclaration d'intention qui transpire l'énergie brute et la confiance. Dans la même veine, "Jealous Again" est un classique instantané. Dès les premiers accords, on est en terrain connu, un territoire balisé par les Rolling Stones de la période "Exile on Main St." Ce n'est pas une critique, mais un constat. Le morceau est un hommage si parfait, si bien exécuté, qu'il en devient une pièce maîtresse. La guitare slide, le piano bastringue, les chœurs soul... tout y est. Le troisième pilier de l'album, et peut-être le plus surprenant, est la ballade "She Talks to Angels". Ici, les Crowes lèvent le pied de l'accélérateur pour dévoiler une facette plus sensible, presque vulnérable. L'arpège de guitare acoustique est magnifique de simplicité et de mélancolie, et Chris Robinson y prouve qu'il n'est pas qu'un hurleur mais aussi un conteur capable d'insuffler une véritable émotion dans son chant. Ce morceau offre une respiration bienvenue et démontre une maturité d'écriture qui laissait présager le meilleur pour l'avenir. Voilà pour les sommets. Et c'est là que le bât blesse. Car si ces deux ou trois morceaux sont des réussites incontestables, le reste de "Shake Your Money Maker" peine à maintenir ce niveau d'excellence et souffre d'un défaut majeur : son caractère profondément dérivatif et, par extension, une certaine prévisibilité. Une fois l'effet de surprise passé, on réalise que l'album est moins une révolution qu'un formidable exercice de style, un pastiche amoureux du rock des années 70. Les influences sont si présentes qu'elles en deviennent parfois écrasantes. Les spectres des Faces, de Humble Pie, et bien sûr des Stones, planent sur chaque sillon. Des titres comme "Thick n' Thin" ou "Stare It Cold" sont certes énergiques, mais ils sonnent comme des faces B de leurs idoles. Ils possèdent le son, l'attitude, le "swagger", mais il leur manque l'étincelle, le refrain mémorable qui les ferait sortir du lot. On a l'impression d'entendre un groupe de musiciens exceptionnels – et ils le sont, sans aucun doute – qui jouent une partition déjà écrite. Le talent est là, la technique est irréprochable, mais l'âme propre du groupe semble encore en gestation. Des morceaux comme "Could I've Been So Blind" ou "Sister Luck" suivent une formule bien rodée : un riff bluesy, un couplet enlevé, un refrain puissant. C'est efficace sur le moment, mais peu de choses restent en mémoire une fois l'album terminé. On se retrouve avec une collection de chansons qui, prises individuellement, fonctionnent comme du bon rock 'n' roll, mais qui, assemblées, donnent une impression de redite, de pilotage automatique. Le son, si rafraîchissant en 1990, apparaît aujourd'hui comme une reconstitution quasi muséale. C'est un rock mis sous formol, parfaitement conservé, mais manquant de la folie et de la prise de risque qui caractérisaient ses modèles. On admire la performance, la virtuosité des frères Robinson, la solidité de la section rythmique, mais on cherche en vain la faille, l'aspérité, l'élément unique qui ferait de cet album plus qu'un simple hommage. En conclusion, "Shake Your Money Maker" mérite amplement sa place dans l'histoire du rock. Il a eu le mérite de remettre au goût du jour un son authentique et organique à une époque qui en manquait cruellement. Il a révélé un groupe au potentiel immense et nous a offert une poignée de chansons devenues des hymnes immortels. Pour ces raisons, il est impossible de le détester. Cependant, en tant qu'œuvre complète, il s'avère inégal. C'est un album porté par trois locomotives surpuissantes qui tirent derrière elles une série de wagons bien construits mais relativement anonymes. C'est l'album d'un groupe qui a trouvé le costume parfait avant de trouver sa propre peau. Facile à admirer pour ses éclairs de génie, mais plus difficile à aimer dans sa totalité. Un solide 3 sur 5 : un début prometteur, essentiel pour ses singles, mais qui laisse une légère sensation d'inachevé.
hey little thing, let me light your candle
It was a pleasant listen
Couple of bangers on this. They were very counter the time, though 1990 was a very odd year for music.
baseline here is 2-3 stars. Not typically a big fan, and really only heard the hits. I actually really liked this! Lots of bangers, a lot of fun. Would gladly put on for Butt Rock Breakfast, or on a golf course. 3/5.
alright album that happens to have the worst album title ever. idk why i hate it so much but i do. it’s so bad.
...
It's okay, but I'll probably never listen to it again. Sounds like a mix of all rock bands I've ever listened to.
1990 but sounds right out of the late 60s/70s. Don’t get the fools saying this sounds overly southern? It’s just a good time, man. 3.5 Stars
Doesn't hold up as well as I thought it would when the album popped up for me this morning. The big hits feel tired and the album as a whole feels derivative and a bit boring. By no means terrible, it just doesn’t excite me at all.
Pretty good. Way better than pink flag. I think I’d like it better after another listen but I’m not sure if I will. Favourite songs were ‘Stare it cold’ and ‘Sister luck’
It’s ok
It’s not revolutionary, it’s not bad, it’s not great but it’s good enough. -N.O
I really hated this when it came out. Music for people who want to buy new albums but don’t want to hear new music.
Weird inclusion considering this is a 1990 release and must’ve almost been dated by its release. That being said, I did actually enjoy it - it’s rather fun and there are some catchy tracks; when they are not too bluesy that is.
# 484 : Shake Your Money Maker : 20/05/2025 They've done a pretty decent job, it’s a good album, it’s enjoyable and fun overall, but drags out a bit. It's ok, but not 5 star material. Hard To Handle is the stand out track on this.
Decent rock album.
Forgettable, really don’t remember it. Think it was okay.
Nothing original in terms of their sound - straight up blues/soul influenced rock - but they do it well and I don't doubt that 1990 needed it.
This Isn't Spinal Tap. Nor is it Otis Redding. There are some great moments, but I'm instantly hungry again.
Not offensive but pretty bland
A couple standout tracks but overall just a 3.
Huh. A little better than I expected. This band never caught my attention, so I thought it would be a low 3. Instead, it's a solid 3.
I love the underexposed album cover and a few songs but not all fav: sister luck
I'm sure it was revolutionary when it came out but right now it sounds like a generic hard rock album.
Debut album. Twice As Hard is a nice intro to the album. Followed by Jealous again which is also good. Hard To Handle is an Otis Redding B side cover and the best track on the album. Overall the album has a good start with the first two tracks. Then goes a little generic until Hard To Handle which is a great track but then the album falls back a little again to the end. Rolling Stones vibes throughout. Solid album.
Classic 90’s rock. I’m sure it was influential, but I’m just not a big fan of 90’s rock mostly.
Enjoyed this, very '90s.
Not too bad.
Solid; derivative; samey; uncomplicated; earnest. Maybe it was a revolutionary act releasing this in 1990, with everything else that was going on musically around then, or maybe it was just a bit retrograde.
Oh boy
6/10
Enjoyed it, classic catchy guitar riffs. Thick N' Thin was my fave!
Just alright. One good song does not a great album make.
6/10… southern rock / blues rock
This is fine but only the Otis cover is truly great (and it’s really, really great)
It’s a perfectly fine tribute to the blues and southern rock of the 70’s. One that I’m sure I would like a lot more if I had grown up with it and had the nostalgia factor (See The Black Keys review to come later for this to pay off). Favorites were Twice As Hard, Seeing Things, Hard To Handle, and She Talks To Angels.
Fun sunny day driving album. Gave me an AC/DC but 90's vibe that I enjoyed, classic rock influence throughout and was great and I think I kind of got an idea of what it would have been like to be my dad in 1990. Good production and musicianship, though wanted more creativity and variation in the songwriting. Fav track: Hard to Handle
I listened in the car in the channel tunnel whilst trying to have some sleep. No song woke me up, and it all trundled into each other. A bland mid rock album of middling songs.
3.5
A pretty average and not that distinctive debut. Nothing to ‘crowe’ about. Just sounds like all sorts of classic rock from the early 70s but lesser, blander versions of it. Best songs probably Struttin’ Blues or the one in the middle that sounds like Joe Cocker’s With A Little Help From My Friends. Worst song the Hard To Handle cover. Lots of mildly raucous guitar playing and riffs throughout that range from good to pretty good. Vocals super ordinary. Fine enough effort overall but the band should change the animals on their logo because when it comes to their music… it’s too boring for crows.
This might be THE quintessential 3 star album. Nothing about it is bad. But nothing stands out either. It’s a consistent samey through line. There isn’t a highlight. There isn’t an embarrassing ditch. It’s truly the most average album I’ve heard on here
Good bar music. Still bar music. 6/10
Surprised me. Not usually the kind of album I would enjoy but there were a couple of tracks that stood out for me. Hard to Handle and She talks to Angels were bops. The rest of the album was alright but it’s not an album I would probably revisit
blues und rock’n‘roll! solide gespielt .. mit wenig highlights.
Hardrock wie er sein muss. Gerade heraus und ohne Schnörkel.
Fairly generic American 90’s rock music. Nothing bad but equally not a lot to really get excited about.
It’s just OK boogie woohoo stadium rock innit. Yeah the song writing is good in places, but given their obvious southern rock heroes, they just don’t have the same oomph in comparison.
Great rock riffs! Nothing over the top but enjoyable rock music. Hard to Handle is a great song.
its a nice album and i didnt struggle to listen to all of it, but it doesnt really blow me away either, my biggest issue was that a lot of the individual tracks didnt stand out much to me, there were times were i wasnt a fan of the vocal work is it better than back in black? im not sure
Solid
Albumi #188, 30.03.2025 Shake Your Money Maker on The Black Crowesin debyyttialbumi vuodelta 1990.
This is good rock music, but I would never seek it out. Not mad when I hear it.
Pretty basic overall. There were some songs which would be great on a roadtrip.
More like Biege Crowes, it’s meh.
Hard to Handle es un temón
Listenable
так
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. It's got a bar room brawl sound to it, lending heavy from The Faces. Never a bad move.
Old school dad rock.
This was the okayest album I've had yet. Revivalist blues rock. I really like his voice. Pretty inoffensive but not really deserving of a place on the list.
some good hooks!
Decent rock and roll
Solides Groove- und Hardrock Album, etwas Pepper und etwas Power aber keine Songs für den Heavy Heaven.
I'm of a split mind on this one. If I were in a bar and this band was playing this stuff I'd probably enjoy it because my expectations would be low. Listening to this as an album for this project my expectations are higher so I'm thinking that it's OK overall at best but that the band is just an above average bar band.
gppd
The Black Crowes zijn wel oké, maar wel wat overrated. Dit album is hetzelfde: oké, maar niet meer dan dat. 2.8
Nice and harmless. This is for background music though.
Yeah, its bar rock - and what's wrong with that? This was a surprisingly easy album to listen to and it was enjoyable. It reminded me of the Rolling Stones and actually, I preferred some tracks over the Stones, who tend to go a bit too ham on the piano for my taste sometimes. Now, that being said, was I blown away by it? Did it change my life? No, but I didn't need it to. I just needed it to be listenable, which it was. It was a fun way to spend 45ish minutes and it didn't feel too long, it didn't drag on the way some other albums on this list tend to do. It's background music, sure but it's decent background music. The high tempo songs are better than the slower paced ones for sure, though. I thought the slower songs were a bit too ballad-y for my liking. And fair play to them for releasing this album in a time where everyone was sounding like Simple Minds. I fucking hate Simple Minds.
Hard rock has never really done it for me. But this was pleasant enough. Simpsons: No
might be influenced and marked down by this being the favourite band of the first girl that dumped me
This music really took me back to a specific time and place. And I have to say that while I would never put this album on by choice, it sounded good. A lot of stuff has sounded very dated, but this didn't somehow. Maybe because it was sort of retro sounding when it came out in the 90s it's given it a bit of a timeless feel.
Not really my cup of tea but not a bad album for sure
Was a 3* album from the opening bars, and held it throughout. Which isn't meant as a compliment. Inoffensive, instantly forgettable.
This is perfectly fine blues rock, I enjoyed this album, some catchy songs there. It is also very traditional - this album could have been made sixty years ago (and possible not compete with some other music that was around then). I struggle to find something to say about it. Sounds too good to be a 1 or 2, way too vanilla to be a 4 or a 5.
Forgettable American rock
⭐⭐⭐ 5/10 It's good, nothing to write home about. I like the vocals, very raspy 90s voice.
Now I know what they’re saying when they go mey mama naa naa nanana. 3/5.
70er rock aus die 90er lol ganz okay aber nothing special
It’s good for what it is. If I was at a restaurant or something and a song from this played, I’d be fine with it.
A great debut that went right for the roots of blues rock while the rest of the world was moving into other spaces. The Black Crowes are good, but I feel that their music falls flatter in the emotional side of things. The lack of depth does not stop your foot from tapping
sorry, there's no emotion in this album, i didn't feel anything like mediocre
Disappointed to hear Hard to Handle was a cover. But I liked this when it came out.
Songs: Jealous Again
Good! His voice kinda melds the songs into one another?
Ah, The Black Crowes. A band I always held in the periphery. They have some lovely songs. The Black Crowes also suffer from something I have spoken of before: Their songs, in album form, one after another, kind of start blending and sounding kind of the same. By the time the album was done I was "done" with the Black Crowes for a while. They are a fine band with some great songs! But, like many many other bands that are in the front room but sort of relegated to tables towards the back, they are not particularly deep or challenging to their listeners...
"Hard to Handle" is pretty catchy but the rest didn't do much for me. They strike me as a bar band who could have stuck to covers. Nothing really to hate here but all a bit forgettable in my opinion. It sounds like a cross roads between the 70s and 90s, skipping the 80s altogether. I see the appeal but I just didn't connect to most of the album.
I did not really enjoy them in the 90s and they have not grown on me. A friend once said of them, \"They never heard a Stones song they didn't try to make.\" But Budget Brand. They play well enough, but there were plenty of other better bands that did not get any play.
A suitable southern rock revival album with great sound and musicianship. Not a lot of memorable songs aside from the hits.
This seems incredibly generic. Not bad, not interesting.
Started very good but started to lose interest halfway through. Not terrible, not memorable. Very solid
I constantly mix up the Black Keys and the Black Crowes. Seems fair to me, they’re both basically the same mid-range blues rock.
expected something very different but this was like a good blues cover band.
I thought that it was incredibly easy to just tune it out and not fully listen to it but the guitar was alright
Very good!
Good album
Typical sort of rock bar tunes. Fun and loud, nothing groundbreaking but an enjoyable listen 3.5*
Good sound, classic 90s rock
I'm not sure if Chris Robinson's misophonia-inducing voice prevented me from ever noticing back in their heyday how much the Black Crowes sound remarkably similar to Aerosmith, mixed maybe with a bit of Rod Stewart. But listening to this album nearly 25 years later, and far removed from their ever-present rotation on the radio, the similarity seems pretty striking (to me, at least). And thankfully his voice isn't as grating as it once was. I'm not sure I can really go so far as to say it's a good album, and the videos to their singles are appallingly uninteresting, but it's also not a bad album overall. Could they use more interesting lyrics? Yes. More varied music on the album? Yes. A more talented video producer? Absolutely. But hey, it's their debut album, and getting so many singles with so much radio play is an impressive accomplishment for *any* album. I should probably give this four stars, but my ambivalence sadly runs too deeply for that (not to mention my visceral reaction to Chris Robinson's voice). If I could give a half-star extra, though, I would, simply for the fact that they got fired from their tour with ZZ Top because of a tirade against Miller beer.
not a fan of their fuzzy sound and wish the vocals were highlighted a little more in the recording. Jealous Again sounds like a bad version of the Stones' Tumbling Dice. Sister Luck is pretty nice or could be in a different recording. Hard to Handle is awful--not sure anyone can pull off an Otis cover. After that, I kind of tuned them out.
7/10 Bluesrock Seeing Things
Felt like fairly generic blues rock. Nothing at all ground-breaking to be found here. The best song on the album is a cover of a blues song. I enjoyed my time with it, but I wasn't blown away.
I thought this record was okay. It's nothing special by any means, and it hits the nail on the head when it's described as "Blues Rock". There's no earth shattering guitar solos, there's no crazy powerful blues voice, it's all more "in the pocket", so to speak. 3/5
Some good jams I guess. Honestly after the weekend I’ve kinda forgotten most of the album sooo. Hard to handle is good
Rating: 6.5/10 A few good songs, the rest sounds pretty bland.
挺好
perus soitattelua. kait ihan normaalia tuollasille? luulen että jotain tyypillistä tuon kaltaiselle porukalle.. en ihan 100% mutta voi olla et ei ihan vitun sairasta paskaa tuossa kulttuurissa? vähän erikoista/oksettavaa kuraa mutta voipi olla päivittäinen kurssi nimittäin heillä.. en rupeen mitään haukkumaan sit. turha alkaa valittaa mistään. ei tämmöset ikinä muutu. ikinä muutu tälläset. pysykää vaan sielläpäin kiitos. tarvi tänne tuommosia. The Black Crowes are leaving the bullshit in the past. runkkakaas kikkeliä kaverit kunnes hiertää.... the freaking bullshit of the past is long gone.. we are the band of the future guyz.... guyz welcome..... to the future. seeing things
Solid classic rock
***An ok album,
Yeah it's alright, but not sure I'd say it's one of the top albums ever
There's some decent stuff in here that I remember from the early nineties, however I can't help but think that if you like this sort of music enough to listen to it regularly, you're also comfortable with the idea of big pick up trucks, you've probably unironically said "Yeehaw" and you'd probably explode if you listened to some AC/DC unless you had your favourite pair of snakeskin boots on..
Crazy that this is one of the first CDs I ever bought, so I was expecting to be taken down memory lane, but instead it was all pretty forgettable.
Fun southern rock album. The two big hits stand out (obviously) but the rest sounded like a fun time at a good bar.
For some reason I thought The Black Crows was an early 00's indie rock band. I was incorrect. This is some nice poppy-early 90's rock. I even knew one song although I can only pretend to know the lyrics. Hey little thing let me like your chemicals 'cause momma I'm showing the hammerman diss around.
it's fine. like, there is a lot to hate about a release like this -- and i don't think i'll be coming back to it any time soon -- but what exactly could it do to make it better? it's a southern rock record that pulls a lot from the Rolling Stones and was produced in 1990 -- as a result, it sounds like it does and could not sound any different. there are no epics, no pop cuts, just pure, unabashed 70's RAWK cuts. judging The Black Crowes by their ability to create interesting, modern rock that breaks the mold is like judging a foot race between a human and a bird. the bird, quite simply, is not built to run, so likewise, i shouldn't expect the Black Crowes to do anything but what they are made to do, which is play blues rock and sell records to your dad. the Black Crowes are a bagful of salted peanuts. you get what you pay for -- something dry, something consistent, and something you probably pair with copious amounts of alcohol or whatever they have on the menu at Texas Roadhouse.
I don't necessarily dislike the Black Crowes, I think they're a pretty solid band. But this album just doesn't do much to excite me. The singles are weak compared to Southern Harmony, and there aren't enough gems in the deep cuts to make up for that. But like, it's fine. 2.5/5
Alr
Simple rock (mb like gun’s’n’roses, but worse
Some hits, some misses
Enjoyed this more than the only other album I’ve listened to from the band (can’t remember the title). Good classic rock.
It's a good album to bop around to. I struggle to give it a 4 since there's hardly anything memorable on the album. I can see this playing in the background really anywhere and not disturbing the vibe. 3 feels low. I really wish this was out of 10 since a 7/10 feels just about right.
It’s fine dad rock vibin
3.5 decent southern rock
Straightforward blues rock. I like Hard to Handle, but She Talks to Angels reminds me of bros.
I can totally see why this album is on the list. It’s pretty unique for its time even though it has a throwback classic rock vibe. It’s also a tight album, I was never bored, they didn’t waste any time. That being said it’s not my favorite, I don’t think I’d go out of my way to listen to this again.
Recognize able songs but not my favorite
Pretty typical bar rock. It wasn't bad but it wasn't anything particularly special either
Favourite song - Hard to handle 2.5 stars
I obviously know the hits from this album, the dude has a pretty great voice, but it gets a little annoying after a while in my opinion. I can't say I love the deep cuts on here, they're not terrible but not much stands out to me, I think because Chris Robinson's voice gets to be a bit much for me.
There's a few good songs on here, but otherwise pretty average rock. 3.5/5
2.5☆/5 10.20.2024
Banging album
If somebody gave me a free ticket to a Black Crowes show and I didn’t have anything to do early the next morning, I’d go. But I wouldn’t go out of my way for it.
Must listen? Jeez these boys can rock. And roll. But here they are in 1990 doing 1970s Rolling Stones. Should I like it? No. I own exile and the other great stones albums. Do I like it? Shut up. Yes. I don’t care. Hard to handle is great. Is it a must listen? Hmmmm Is it a must listen? Hmmmm
Solid early 90s rocker. There's a couple great songs (Hard to Handle is too corny for me tho :/). I will probably always have a soft spot for She Talks to Angels. It's a bit standard for 70's rock revival, but they sell it pretty well and their vocalist is quite good
When this album was released people were so happy to have an updated version of that southern-fried, bluesy rock sound. 34 years later, it sounds like any classic rock radio station standard, or, like another reviewer so aptly noted, shitty bar music.
Pretty decent, there’s a couple of great songs here.
I was not excited to listen to this honestly. I have so much good music to listen to lately and I didn't want "Shake Your Money Maker" to take up that time. It ended up being better than I was expecting. Some high energy blues rock with. hint of glam rock but the glam rock vocals aren't as annoying as they can be sometimes. Some fun riffs and solos but overall just exactly what you'd expect for this genre. Nothing really very unique in my opinion.
I mean.. I objectively like this kind of music. However, this feels a bit trite. I don't know how to put my finger on it. Maybe it's the Hard to Handle cover? Or maybe its just that bands like this have been popping up since the late 70s trying to recreate a sound and feeling. So maybe it's the nostalgia play that maybe makes it sound a bit cheesy? I certainly didn't dislike it, but I wasn't wowed by anything I heard today.
Eh, not really my style and none of the songs grabbed me.
bland classic rock
Fun but generic rock album. I don't feel like I was blown over by any track.