New Earth Mud (with Bonus DVD)

Former Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson quickly stakes out his own turf on his solo debut, frequently eschewing his familiar rock rasp for a simpler, neo-folkie delivery. Tracks like the soulful 'Fables, the haunting 'Katie Dear, and infectious 'Silver Car most effectively navigate a new path. But ironically, Robinson's deliberate distancing from the Crowes' excesses paints him into problematic corners. The laid-back country jones he exhibits on 'Sunday Sound and 'Barefoot by the Cherry Tree often gets the best of him, while the spare, promising folk-rock of 'Could You Really Love Me? degenerates into familiar Robinson tent-revival vocal territory. If 'Ride''s funky corners and Robinson's general willingness to experiment show promise, they also suggest the singer's talents need a little competitive goosing, a reinforcement the decades-old truism that the greatest rock music is often the byproduct of the fiercest rivalries and infighting. Jerry McCulley
Disc #1:
Safe in the Arms of Love
Silver Car
The Kids That Ain't Got None
Could You Really Love Me
Untangle My Mind
Fables
Sunday Sound
Barefoot By The Cherry Tree
Katie Dear
Ride
Better Than The Sun
She's On Her Way