THE CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD – BIG MOON RITUAL

Black Crowe’s Chris Robinson and his brotherhood may be classified as a meandering jam-band, existing on another sonic plane, somewhere between first-wave psychedelia and hazy funk, but they’re indisputably good at it- and they won’t be returning to earth anytime soon. Helped by Cardinal’s guitarist Neal Casal, Robinson has set about creating a winding, contemplative and restrained LP; where the journey is a far-out experience, via some light-handed ebb and flows, rather than a hunger for huge riffs. Opener Tulsa Yesterday is a country-infused 12 minutes of soul, while Rosalee is as wild and melodic as the release offers, while never really satiating the anticipation of a climax. Reflections on a Broken Mirror proves Robinson still possesses an imposing rock vocal range, while not allowing the album to completely lose its head. At the risk of appearing as musical luddites, the band has created an album that earnestly situates itself in a Grateful Dead trajectory of twisting 7-minute-or-more tracks, with the hope of reaching a completely immersive aural destination. While cohesive, it’s lengthy subtly means it never truly ‘arrives.’ ***