A Musical Journey Beyond Birds Of A Feather
Stepping away from the Black Crowes and creating New Earth Mud gave Chris Robinson a way of expressing himself in a new way and a chance to expand on his musical horizon. Yet being such an iconic character with his own very distinct approach he stayed true to himself and nothing he did sounded foreign to the ear even while pushing new boundaries and exploring different realms. The journey would last only a few years yet leave us with some memorable musical moments and captivating songs to fill our ears.
The Birth of Chris Robinson & New Earth Mud
In the early 2000s the Black Crowes went on a hiatus which had the logical consequence of Chris Robinson breaking out on his own. He recorded an album titled New Earth Mud in 2002, then named his band New Earth Mud, and followed it up in 2004 with This Magnificent Distance. Both albums were notably co-produced by British multi-instrumentalist Paul Stacey, best known for his collaborations with Oasis, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, and The Black Crowes, giving Chris the opportunity to try something new while still staying true to his style. Now Chris on his own can get quite mellow and anyone who knows Chris Robinson’s Brotherhood can attest to that. But anything he does is well worth a listen, even if you like your sounds a little heavier.
Voice & Style
Both albums have plenty of quiet, hippy, folkey moments, often tinged with a good dose of psychedelia reminiscent of what is found on the Crowes’ Three Snakes And A Charm. However Chris always knows how to groove and he can still funk and rock it out with the best of them.
His is a truly soulful voice combining all elements of American music in one, be it Rock, Funk, Gospel, Soul, Folk, Blues, Jazz, or Country. His lyrics are spacey and imaginative, the subject matter eclectic and flamboyant, rarely with a direct meaning yet open for your own interpretation. I feel they are more an extension of, and addition to the melody, an instrument of their own.
There really isn’t a bad song on either album and all tunes are imaginative, playful and captivating, but as mentioned before at times very mellow. If you are into that and maybe a fan of Chris Robinson’s Brotherhood you’ll get a great listen out of its entirety. If you are looking for great songs to add to your playlist, the kind with a little more pep in their step, then give these next few songs a listen.
New Earth Mud
Safe In The Arms Of Love
New Earth Mud’s opening track, Safe in the Arms of Love, is a groovy chill rocker with a cool riff and guitar licks. It is what the Germans call an earworm. Couldn’t get this thing out of my head for nearly two days once. Our hero receives a vision and goes on an abstract journey amongst angels and heroes with broken wings, questioning reasons and answers yet knowing love will pull him through.
Ride
Ride is a 70ies style funk song with a heavy groove, great bass line, killer keyboard solo, and a catchy chorus. Chris really gets his James Brown going on this one, and the band it’s Isaac Hayes, taking you on a ride through town sinking comfortably into the seat of a 1975 Coupe DeVille with chrome wheels and fuzzy dice hanging from the mirror.
Better Than The Sun
Better Than the Sun moves us more in a psychedelic vibe, with spacey lyrics and Chris doing what he does best, carrying you along in his conceptual world with his vocals while the wah wah sends out bundles of waves like raindrops in the air. The song is playful while maintaining a sense of urgency until ending in a trippy little mess that slowly meshes into the final song.
She’s On Her Way
She’s On Her Way is another hallucinatory, folkey ballad like only Chris Robinson or the Black Crowes could deliver without sounding like a caricature. The best of the mellow tunes, maintaining the same urgency as the previous song which keeps it exciting in its calmness. I’d think it to be a great trippy addition to any playlist mix, something you can blend in between two hard rockers just to throw people off.
This Magnificent Distance
40 Days
This Magnificent Distance is definitely the heavier, catchier and darker of the two albums and kicks it into high gear with 40 Days. This song rocks out with some of the best that Chris Robinson has ever done with a killer riff, great bass line, mystical lyrics, hard rocking concise beats, and an intensity reminiscent of Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue version of 7 Days. Not sure if that was the inspiration to this song but it sure feels like the same endless journey. 40 days is definitely a kick ass rock song for the ages.
Girl On A Mountain
Things chill out with Girl On A Mountain and ventures back to a groovy psychedelic world. The guitar keeps you sailing at sea through a calm ocean with the bass, keys and drums laying out the waves for Chris to project his voice on to. The waves pick up as the wind fills the sails, sending you soaring through an epic chorus and back to calmer waters again.
Mother Of Stone
The vibe takes on a more late 60ies, early 70ies spiritual feel on Mother of Stone as the ocean turns into a wide open prairie and the guitar, percussion and bass push the group on a ride over hills and flat lands with Chris calling his boys on.
Train Robbers
They transform into outlaws on Train Robbers, a cool western ballad whose imagery sends you out into the technicolor world of 70ies style cowboy movies. Our hero ponders his life of crime and serves up his advice followed in time with blistering guitar solos. The transition between each segment is perfect leaving you in anticipation for what might happen next, sometimes pulling you back and other times hurling you full speed into an intense wave of sound. Train Robbers sounds like a journey, much like the album as a whole does.
Sea Of Love
Sea of Love hits us with a desert rock sound, heavy on the low end with dark guitars and a captivating chorus. Chris Robinson’s hippy message isn’t that innocent anymore but it is still alive and kicking. The riffs are hard, and the beat heavy, underscored with psychedelic harmonies and cryptical lyrics, a new millennium answer to 70ies style heavy space rock.
Piece Of Wind
Piece of Wind is riff rock at its finest, the kind to shake your hair or hips to. A cool fun rocker to groove along to while heading down the highway. Sweet and simple and probably the most Crowe like song on the album mixed with a bit of heavy Bad Company or post Frampton Humble Pie.
This Magnificent Distance has a few more cool songs and with all said is a really great album. It may be a bit too long, I would have probably cut one or two songs, but I won’t tell you which ones. Chris Robinson takes you on a magical journey through landscapes and worlds, the likes he may never have been able to with the Crowes. I’d say this has some of his best work on it and well worth a listen from front to end, maybe on a relaxed evening with incense burning, a little bit of the kind and a glass of wine or on a long drive late at night on some endless highway.
Would love to hear your feedback, let me know what you think of this selection, what you think of this compared to the Black Crowes, the Brotherhood or any other sound.