Warpaint
Warpaint gives the Black Crowes' blues-rock a settled, confident character. The band draw from familiar roots, with Luther Dickinson's slide guitar adding a strong presence alongside Rich Robinson's playing. There is plenty of force in the performances, but the songs also allow room for country detail and a gentler pace. The difficulty is that the melodies do not always match the quality of the instruments.
Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution makes an effective opening. A short drum entrance leads into a direct band performance, with the guitars establishing the record's rough-edged appeal. Walk Believer Walk then brings a heavier blues setting, giving the players another clear opportunity to make their shared sound count.
Oh Josephine takes a softer route. Its slower movement gives the album a useful change of mood, even if the vocal melody is less distinctive than the arrangement. The instruments often provide the strongest reason to stay involved, with the band sounding comfortable working around one another.
Locust Street is more convincing as a complete song. The quieter roots-rock setting gives the singing a clearer place within the music, bringing the different elements together particularly well. It supplies an appealing contrast to the harder material without sounding detached from the rest of the record.
Wounded Bird restores a stronger rock presence, while God's Got It draws more directly on country blues. The gentler There's Gold in Them Hills and Whoa Mule help broaden the second half. These changes show how much the band can do within their established style.
The sequence does not always make the most of that variety. The heavier opening stretch and softer later material can feel too separated, and several songs would benefit from a stronger vocal hook. Chris Robinson's characterful delivery cannot solve every weakness in the writing.
Even so, Warpaint contains enough engaged playing and convincing changes of mood to make the return worthwhile. Its best songs turn familiar blues-rock forms into assured performances, with the guitar work providing a substantial part of the appeal.
