How The Rolling Stones Influenced The Black Crowes

In this review, we explore how The Black Crowes’ The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion may have been influenced by The Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main St. Released 20 years apart, both albums share a southern, bluesy, and soulful sound, with striking similarities in their pacing and musical journey. While some of us favored The Black Crowes, we all appreciated the deep connections between these two classic albums. Listen to our conversation and share your thoughts on these timeless records.

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This Album Influenced That Album – The Rolling Stones Influenced The Black Crowes

In the upcoming episodes, we explore how one album influenced another, starting with Darren Scott’s picks of the Foo Fighters’ debut and Bad Brains’ Rock for Light. Now it’s my turn with The Black Crowes’ The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, their 1992 follow-up to Shake Your Money Maker. This album broke records with four rock number-one hits and topped the Billboard 200. Produced by George Drakoulias and The Black Crowes, its rock, blues, and southern black soul sound has always reminded me of the early Rolling Stones, especially their 1972 album Exile on Main St.. Known for its murky, party-like atmosphere, Exile on Main St. was a double album featuring blues, rock, swing, country, and gospel influences. This month, I’ll dive deeper to see if Exile on Main St. truly influenced The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion.

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Review of The Black Crowes: The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion

Please read Scott Coates’s pick for The Black Crowes: The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion before reading and listening to our reviews below.

Quick Summary: 

  • Would we recommend?
  • Influence us and our tastes?
  • Overall
4.6

Review of The Black Crowes: The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion

It is unfortunate that The Black Crowes will unlikely ever reform. Personality and personnel issues were known to the band through the history of the group. Their second album, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, really allowed them to write and record songs they wanted to be remembered for. After the monster success of their debut Shake Your Money Maker their label, Rick Rubin’s Def America, was very empowering by letting the band explore their sound instead of forcing them to stick to the catchy sound and covers featured on their debut. We loved this album, have a listen as to why and learn about this complex recording.
Here is a few things you’ll find out:
• What Allman Brothers member was hugely responsible for a part of their new sound
• Who is Jeff Cease and how his replacement contributed
• What other albums was this up against for air play
Listen up and please leave us a comment.
The Sonic Collective


Our Individual Review Scores
Scott Coates:
Overall opinion: 5
Would I recommend?: 5
Influenced my tastes: 5
Darren Scott:
Overall opinion: 4.5 (.5 deducted for that poor Calgary concert)
Would I recommend?: 5
Influenced my tastes: 5
Scott Gregory:
Overall opinion: 4.5
Would I recommend?: 4.5
Influenced my tastes: 4.5
Alain DuPuis:
Overall opinion: 4.5
Would I recommend?: 4.5
Influenced my tastes: 4.5

The Black Crowes: The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion


The Black Crowes: The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion
Scott Coates
Hard to Handle was the hit song of the moment and I was spinning it as a young DJ at Lloyd’s Recreation, a rollerskating rink and Calgary landmark that sadly recently closed. I was 17 and didn’t realize the ‘hit’ was a cover. A few other tracks on The Black Crowes first album, Shake Your Money Maker, caught my ear but then they kind of disappeared. Their second album, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion came out but it didn’t really grab me.
Years passed, then sometime in the 2000s, I hit upon The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion again, and, wow… Age and maturity was needed to appreciate this one it seems. Much like Catcher in the Rye read at 15-years-of-age wasn’t fully grasped, this album escaped me during first listens at a young age.
The Crowes second release, it came out on May 12, 1992 and went on to spawn four hit singles. This album reminds me a lot of old Rolling Stones albums and rock albums of the seventies. I’ll stop here and let you decide – sit back – have a listen – and enjoy.
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