The Black Windmill (1974) Don Siegel, Michael Caine, Donald Pleasence, Delphine Seyrig

The Black Crowes' debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, may borrow heavily from the bluesy hard rock grooves of the Rolling Stones and Faces (plus a bit of classic soul), but the band gets away with it due to sharp songwriting and an ear for strong riffs and chorus melodies, not to mention the gritty, muscular rhythm guitar of Rich Robinson and brother Chris' appropriate vocal swagger. Unlike their later records, the Crowes don't really stretch out and jam that much on Money Maker, but that helps distill their virtues into a handful of memorable singles ("Jealous Again," "She Talks to Angels," a cover of Otis Redding's "Hard to Handle"), and most of the album tracks maintain an equally high standard. Shake Your Money Maker may not be stunningly original, but it doesn't need to be; it's the most concise demonstration of the fact that the Black Crowes are a great, classic rock & roll band.

The Black Crowes’ 1992 album The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion has been remastered and expanded for CD and vinyl reissues next month. The reissue has been overseen by Chris and Rich Robinson and album producer George Drakoulias. A 3CD super deluxe edition box set features 14 unreleased tracks including two studio recordings,a live February 1993 concert, and the never-before-heard live in-studio performances at the end of the Southern Harmony session – along with B-sides and the original album (which was remastered from the original 1/4″ production master tape). This box also comes with ‘stuff’ which includes a “hymn book” with insights from both Chris and Rich Robinson, sheet music and four lithographs.

The Black Noodle Project is a French band that has actually been around for some time, releasing their demo in 2003. There used to be more members, or maybe they just sort of come and go as the winds of life steer them. I’m not sure. Right now, there are two members: Sébastien Bourdeix on guitars, keyboards, bass, and vocals; and Tommy Rizzitelli on drums. For this record, vocalist Sab Elvenia of the band The Fundamental Wisdom of Chaos guests on three tracks. I should say that, if you haven’t already, you should check out Sab’s band—they are quite unique.

2022 release from Denmark's premier roots-rockers Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado. The septet has blazed a trail across Scandinavia, Europe, Canada, the US and Asia for the past twenty years. They've been captivating crowds with their dynamic stage presence and a sound that fuses soul, Chicago blues, boogie and rock 'n' roll with a voice where Ray Charles, Van Morrison and Billy Gibbons meet in the middle. They've brought dancing shoes to Europe's largest festival stages and low-light noir-ish blues to Jazz clubs around the globe.