There’s a rich psychedelic swirl that sells around the opening track ‘Sooner or Later’ and a stomp and groove to ‘Gimme Something’ that give High Water II the most satisfying of openings. This is the rich soulful musical ground that The Black Crowes touched on in the early 90’s and explored so well, but with Magpie Salute that rediscovery of blues and soul and those classic rock sounds of yesteryear sounds so organic and so unscored just like it did on Southern Harmony all those years ago. And after a few listens it’s that Crowes album that ‘II’ sounds most akin to.
Recorded at the same sessions as ‘High Water I’ last year there was always an inevitability about this release and clouded as it has been by Rich and Chris taking the money and playing their first record around the country without any other original band members yet using the Black Crowes name all the same, there’s also a little sadness too in hearing an album as good as this seemingly born to die.
‘Leave It All Behind’ that follows starts out wonderfully with stomp and swagger like old school rhythm and blues, it also has a great chorus but oddly it doesn’t seem to go anywhere after that initial promise, and falls into an interlude then simply just climbs out again, it’s a song that just lacks something, and needs another change or texture to complete it.
We’re back to the best quickly though – ‘In Here’ is a joyous coming together and a mighty fine noise made by a band who seem like they are enjoying themselves; and whilst ‘You And I’ eases off the gas it is just the moment the album needs before the wonderful ‘Mother Storm’ smothers you in vocal emotion and slide.
And then you’re pulled another way entirely – ‘A Mirror’ leads you gently into the realms of County Rock before ‘Lost Boy’ (featuring Alison Krauss) unfolds beautifully from its simple acoustic opening to emotional chorus and stunning solo; and ‘Turn It Around’ has Dylan and The Stones and Bowie all in there.
Another of the real highs here comes in the form of ‘Life Is a Landslide’ which has a drive that rides a dirty bass buzz and sounds like it could sit nicely on ‘Amorica’. It’s a huge song that if enough out there heard it could easily become an anthem of the age.
We close out with two of my favourite though: ‘Doesn’t Really Matter’ sounds like vintage Crowes to me and could have been lifted from the grooves of ‘Southern Harmony’ – its the perfect storm of guitars and keys lashed together by a great vocal. ‘Where Is This Place’ that closes this chapter and very possibly signals the end of the band is an epic and therefore a pretty suitable way to go out – starting with a simple acoustic Delta blues before the electrics comes creeping in and the vocals shine through backed with a Gospel-like harmony.It’s a wonderful thing.
‘High Water I’ was always going to be hard to follow and ‘II’ suffers a little in its shadow, though in reality there’s little between the two coming from those same sessions. John Hogg is wonderful again here as are the rest of the players sand even though no new ground is broken here or boundaries pushed, there’s a real love and understanding of how to transport an audience at play. Who knows what happens next?
