The Black Crowes

Live At The Greek

Whole lotta talent, whole lotta music

Review Score:

(10/10)
When this album first came out, it had several strikes against it in my book: first, the album was comprised of classic tunes remade by someone else. Second, the album was comprised of classic tunes remade by one of their original creators long after the fact. Finally,it's a live album, and live albums rarely either provide good sound quality or recapture the excitement of a live show. And I'm a longtime fan of both Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes.

But I was very, very wrong.

First, the excitement and sound quality are definitely there. Kevin Shirley's production and mixing are top notch --- almost as if the man had master producer Jimmy Page looking over his shoulder the entire time. Second, the renditions of the old Zep tunes accomplish the near-impossible task of being both faithful to the original (Chris Robinson makes an eerily dead-on Robert Plant) and standing on the quality of their own musicianship. Finally, the partnership of Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes is brilliant. The chemistry is powerful, and the musicianship, both individually and collectively, is mindblowing.

My only regret is not having been in L.A. to catch the show!

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