BLACK CROWES

The Black Crowes' Chris Robinson and Rich Robinson. (Ross Haflin)

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Bluesy rockers The Black Crowes could have written "She Talks to Angels" Part Two, Part Three and Part Four.

Or let Columbia Records turn them into a new version of comeback-era Aerosmith, and worked with hits-for-hire songwriters like Diane Warren. Or added a DJ to seem "more relevant." Or record a crossover-country album to pad their wallets.

Or still do interviews with people that aren't calling from Rolling Stone, Billboard or other national publications.

But it's super-obvious The Crowes don't care about any of that. The Atlanta-founded group is pretty much only concerned with making the kind of rock 'n' roll that shakes hips and heads, and stands up to the material of their idols, such as Keith Richards, Jerry Garcia, Neil Young, Gram Parsons, Jimmy Page and Lowell George.

The Black Crowes play the Von Braun Center Mark C. Smith Concert Hall (700 Monroe St.) 7:30 p.m. Sept. 24. Tickets ($45-$75) are available via VBC Box Office, ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets and by calling 800-745-3000.

The Black Crowes' Chris Robinson and Rich Robinson. (Rod Snyder)

Purity in (relative) obscurity

The Crowes best album isn't their most famous one. Yes, 1990's "Shake Your Money Maker" was a standout boogie-rock debut. But the combo's apogee work is on their funkier follow-up "The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion," shaggy third and fourth LPs "Amorica" and "Three Snakes and One Charm" and taut, woodsy 2008 reunion album "Warpaint."

That said, there are some killer tracks on the less-than-awesome Crowes studio discs, including "Welcome to the Goodtimes," "HorseHead" and the title track on 1999's "By Your Side"; "Soul Singing" and "Midnight from the Inside Out" from the otherwise lukewarm 2001 album "Lions"; and "A Train Still Makes a Lonely Sound" and "Shine Along" from the ambitious 2009 double-album "Before the Frost...Until the Freeze."

Core intact

Sometimes it's essential for a rock band to have the original lineup in place. Aerosmith, Allman Brothers and Guns N' Roses come to mind. Other times, this is highly overrated, as many groups, such as The Rolling Stones and Grateful Dead, actually improved as lineup changes occurred. File the Crowes into this latter category. The second Crowes configuration, "Southern Harmony" through "Three Snakes," was particularly dynamic. But the current lineup retains the essential engine of frontman Chris Robinson, brother/guitarist Rich Robinson and drummer/co-founder Steve Gorman, while keyboardist Adam MacDougall, longtime bassist Sven Pipien and new guitarist (and Dave Navarro lookalike) Jackie Green are in simpatico with the Crowes' rootsy-yet-cosmic aesthetic.

Not set in stone

Although Crowes setlists on their "Lay Down with Number 13" tour have been more predictable than on many prior treks, recent shows have seen the band dig out tasty rarities, including the excellent outtakes "Peace Anyway," "Title Song" and "Lowdown." The group's biggest tunes such as "Remedy," "Thorn in My Pride" and "Jealous Again" have received frequent (but not guaranteed) performances. On this tour, The Crowes are mashing up their breakthrough cover of Otis Redding's sexy "Hard to Handle" with "Hush," a Joe South-penned track best known by British proto-metal combo Deep Purple's 1968 version. The Crowes have also been covering tunes by Velvet Underground, Traffic, Ray Charles and other touchstones.

'Wiser for the Time'

Vinyl aficionados and Crowes completists will want to drop by the band's merch table. In May, the group released "Wiser for the Time," a four-LP live set recorded during their 2010 run of sold-out New York shows. (The collection is also available as a digital download.) Highlights include the quintessential Crowes B-side "Darling of the Underground Press," the sanctified traditional "Oh the Rain," slamming outtake "Exit" and a knowing cover of Little Feat's classic road-song "Willin.'"

Sing me back home

Disclosure: The Crowes are, hands-down, the band I grew up to. I've seen them in concert more than 30 times, the first being at the University of Alabama-Birmingham Arena in October 1990 opening for Robert Plant, and the latest being this April at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium. Why spend money that probably should have gone into paying down my mortgage or car loan to instead travel as far as Los Angeles and Detroit to see the Crowes? Because of what this band does to you in a live context. Soul. Power. Right between the eyes. Every time.

More: blackcrowes.com

