The second volume of
High Water
arrived a little less than a year after the first, but by all appearances it could've been released alongside its predecessor. In every way,
High Water II
is cut from the same cloth as
High Water I
. At its core, it sounds like a loud, bold incarnation of
the Black Crowes
, one guided by guitarist
Rich Robinson
, heavy on riffs, rockers, and blues with the occasional acoustic number to provide levity. Vocalist
John Hogg
can still evoke
Chris Robinson
; when the band gooses the rhythms they can veer toward
Lenny Kravitz
territory; but they still seem to ramble even when they bring proceedings to a close around the four-minute mark. In other words, it's a journeyman's record, written and recorded by lifers who aren't as concerned with incorporating new textures as they are with sticking to the tried and true. This meat-and-potatoes sensibility trickles down to the songwriting, which often doesn't contain much more than the bones of a sturdy song. It all adds up to a solid record, one that will surely appeal to
Crowes
fans who have no patience for Deadhead flourishes, but one that could use a little bit of flair on the edges. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine