The Black Crowes

The Black Crowes

The Robinson camp revisits the swamp with bawdy blues-revival muck jams as seventh LP Warpaint dances to hard-hitting rhythms and Southern-fried guitars with the addition of North Mississippi Allstar Luther Dickinson. Lead-in "Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution" nods to the Crowes of old, joyful sounds paced by younger brother Chris' still-soulful croon, nothing lost in the seven years since their last lackluster release, Lions. Dickinson's slide riffs fit into expected Black Crowes boogie, his overdriven howl an appropriate complement to open-E stomps "God's Got It" and "Walk Believer Walk." Though no song stands out as particularly remarkable, Warpaint drips steady consistency. The mood only falters on the experimental and sappy "There's Gold in Them Hills," a failed shot at another "Miracle to Me." Disc highlight "Oh Josephine" fares far better as Warpaint's pensive ballad.