So-so

Review Score: (6/10)
"By Your Side" is a decent rock n' roll record...not as good as the Crowes' first two records, but good enough to warrant a listen.
But the production (or rather the mixing) is lousy. A noisy, discordant rhythm guitar with LOTS of overdrive keeps droning mindlessly away, threatening to drown out everything else, and resulting in a dense, muddled sound. What a difference from the excellent, lean production from "Shake Your Moneymaker".

Most of the songs are okay, though, particularly the title track, "Kickin' My Heart Around", and the loose-limbed groove of "Only A Fool".
I liked the Crowes' first two albums a lot, particularly "Shake Your Moneymaker". Compared to those two, "By Your Side" is a disappointment, but there are enough good moments here for three stars (or maybe 2 3/4).
Mostly for dedicated Crowes fans.

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