It’s been a long road for Crow Black Chicken. Nine years since their last studio album, the Irish power trio are finally back with Ghost Dance, and in my opinion, it was well worth the wait.
Right from the opener “Bottom Feeders”, you’re hit with that late 2000s kind of grit that’s unapologetically in your face. It’s a bit like diving headfirst into a wall of guitars and fuzz, but in the best possible way. This one sets the tone nicely for what’s coming, and to me, it says: “Yeah, we’re back, and we still know how to do this.”
“Fire and Blood” follows with a sultry swagger. There’s a confidence in it, like a slow walk into a room where everyone already knows you’re the coolest one there. The guitar solo in the middle is brilliant. It’s proper, old-school, and not rushed like so many modern singles. I think this one might actually be one of my favourites.
Then you get “Hot Molasses”, which eases things back with a moodier, slower feel. It’s nearly seven minutes long, but it doesn’t drag, instead, it feels like they’re letting the track breathe. I love when a band doesn’t feel the need to fill every space or rush to the next chorus. They just let it ride.
“The Longest Time” keeps that slow-burn energy but leans into grungy territory with some seriously infectious guitar lines. It reminded me how much I miss good melodies in this genre. This track is one of those that you don’t realise has been going for five-plus minutes until it ends, and that’s a good thing. “Dark Matters” lifts the pace again. It’s more up-tempo and shows off a different side of the band. The vocals kind of sit inside the mix like another instrument, giving the whole thing a cinematic quality. Same goes for “Make it Right”, which has a nice momentum and keeps things moving without being too flashy. It’s also the most recent single, and I can see why they picked it.
By the time “Terlingua” rolls in, the mood is low, dark, and almost brooding. There’s not a lot of fuss with it; it just creates this space and lets the listener sink into it. And finally, “Heavy Rain” closes the whole thing out with a brilliantly grungy opener and a more gradual fade than a big finish. I kind of like that, it doesn’t try to go out with a bang, just slips away.
In my opinion, this album does what so many don’t anymore: it actually feels like an album. It’s not just a bunch of singles lumped together, there’s a flow to it, a sense of journey. And after nearly a decade away from the studio, I get the feeling that Crow Black Chicken were really deliberate with how they put this together. They didn’t rush it. They didn’t chase a sound that’s trending right now. They just made the record they wanted to make and I respect that.
There’s definitely a bit of that late 2000s energy throughout, especially in the guitars and vocal styling, and I mean that as a compliment. It’s gritty without being muddy. Confident without being cocky. Tame in parts, sure, but it never feels unfinished. A couple of moments could have kicked up a gear and really gone for that rock side of the blues/rock genre but the band obviously saw the bigger picture and made a complete record that flows and works together as a whole.
Also worth mentioning is the production on this one. It was produced by Philip Magee who has worked with some top top names in the industry. You can hear the polish without losing the dirt. I think that’s what makes it work so well: it’s clean where it needs to be, but raw where it matters.
Crow Black Chicken have always been about that rootsy blues-rock, and Ghost Dance doesn’t lose sight of that. It’s a comeback, sure, but it’s also a reminder that in a sense they have just been biding their time. And speaking of time, they’re heading out on tour soon, and I’ll definitely be catching them when they roll into Waterford. If this album is anything to go by, the live shows are going to be something else.
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June 21st Toales Blues Festival , Dundalk
June 28th Smiddys , Mullingar
June 29th Belfast city blues
Jul 5th Whelans , Dublin Jul 11 Coughlan’s, cork
Jul 12 Geoff’s , Waterford
July 22nd Brezoi Open air , Romania
Jul 19th Chickenstock , Clonmel
Aug 1st 7 Hills Festival , Armagh
Aug 2nd Feile Beag , Thurles
Sep 11th Dunfanaghy Jazz & Blues Festival
Sep 12th The Jester , Westport
UK tour
Nov 6 – LEAMINGTON SPA Temperance SOLD OUT
Nov 7 – STOCKTON ON TEES Blues at the Bay
Nov 8 – WHITBY BLUES, RHYTHM & ROCK FESTIVAL
Nov 9 – GRIMSBY Yardbirds Rock Club (afternoon matinee open 4pm – 7pm)
‘Ghost Dance’ dances its way in with an 8 out of 10
Order Now on Vinyl and CD. https://shop.crowblackchicken.com/
Reviewer – Alan Robinson @alan_robinson_photography