Three Snakes and One Charm

iTunes Review

Having proven how hard they can rock on their first three releases (Shake Your Money Maker, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, Amorica) most of the songs on Three Snakes and One Charm are mellower and the band displays a warmth and depth not fully expressed before. “Under a Mountain,” “One Mirror Too Many,” and “Just Say You’re Sorry” are memorable mid-tempo numbers and “Girl from a Pawnshop” and “Bring On, Bring On” are a couple of their finer ballads. The album doesn’t contain any of their big hit singles, but there are a few that should have been among those: “Blackberry,” the funked-out “(Only) Halfway to Everywhere,” and “Let Me Share the Ride,” a rollicking horn-driven gem. Chris Robinson’s vocals, while still impassioned, are less frantic and the rest of the band is also in exceptional form. Rich Robinson is a gifted and versatile guitarist with a particularly keen feel for slide playing, Eddie Harsch’s keyboard work is now critical to their sound, and Steve Gorman’s drumming is propulsive and inventive without being flashy. Four albums into their career and the Crowes still know how to keep it fresh.