Album by The Black Crowes

This was one of those albums that felt culturally unavoidable in the early ’90s. The Black Crowes were everywhere for a stretch — radio, MTV, magazine covers — but I’d never actually sat down with Shake Your Money Maker front to back before this.

This sounds like a stage in a bar with sticky floors — an ashtray overflowing on the piano, empty bottles by the drum kit, a half-drunk bottle of whiskey leaning against the mic stand. It’s gritty and blues-soaked, and even though the production is tight, the spirit feels loose and lived-in. The balance between polish and rawness here is pitch perfect.

In 1990, with alternative rock rising and pop shifting, the Crowes leaned hard into late-’60s and early-’70s blues rock. It could have felt derivative. Instead, it feels confident and sounds great.

“Twice As Hard” opens with that dirty, stomping swagger. “Jealous Again” is a hook machine. “She Talks to Angels” is still an effective song. “Could I’ve Been So Blind” might be my favorite — it’s not as ubiquitous as the big singles, but it has a perfect groove and feels effortless.

“Seeing Things” has that killer organ intro that sets the mood immediately. Robinson keeps his vocals restrained, channeling something close to Otis Redding in the way he carries the emotion without overselling it. And when the song builds into its uplifting crescendo, it feels earned rather than manufactured. This one is definitely the emotional center of the record.

What surprised me most is how little this feels trapped in 1990. Because they stayed with that classic blues and soul foundation instead of chasing trends, the album avoids sounding dated. It feels rooted rather than retro.

This isn’t nostalgia rock.

It’s revival rock done with conviction.

Verdict: Excellent

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