Review: The Parlor Mob - And You Were a Crow

Label: Roadrunner Records

Released: May 6, 2008

There is really no shortage of bands out there today who are mining the 70s for the source of its hard rock gems. The Parlor Mob is one such band. They've obviously spent some time with Zeppelin and the Nuge and they've certainly gotten quite a bit out of that. And You Were a Crow has no shortage of great riffs and rolling rhythms. Sure the vocals basically stick to the Robert Plant formula, but they do a good job of it and they have a great sense of when to add just a bit of frenzy. Even when they practically steal "Since I've Been Loving You" on "Tide of Tears," there's something special that identifies it as Parlor Mob rather than their large, looming predecessor.

The best thing about the Parlor Mob though is that, unlike so many of their peers, they have actually found that source that they're looking for...and it's soul. It's something that the Black Crowes found out early on in their explorations of the 70s and it's translated into almost 20 years of great music. Perhaps the Parlor Mob is mining that same vein with just a harder edge. If so, And You Were a Crow won't be the last we hear of them.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 8/10

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