#jeffhill

Song Review: The Chris Robinson Brotherhood - “Narcissus Soaking Wet”

There’s nothing about “Narcissus Soaking Wet” that says Chris Robinson Brotherhood.

Not the soulful vocals. Not Steely Dan-meets-disco-meets-Chic arrangement. Not the harmonica. Not the handclaps. Not the lush background vocals. And not the synthesized strings.

Co-written by Robinson and keyboardist Adam MacDougall, “Narcissus Soaking Wet” is the first single from CRB’s upcoming fourth album, Anyway You Love, We Know How You Feel, due July 29. It’s at once a booty-shaker and a head-shaker as the former Black Crowes frontman and his band of Brotherhood glide through seven minutes of slick, 1970s-styled groove with nary an instrumental showcase along the way.

With elements of Donald Fagan’s The Nightfly, Boz Scaggs’ Silk Degrees and a hint of Saturday Night Fever, the song screams of a bygone decade while imploring listeners to move on from the past:

Burn the commune down/lalalalala

Never in a million years would one guess this is the CRB. Whether that’s good or bad is up for debate.

A real puzzler, this one.

Grade card: The Chris Robinson Brotherhood - “Narcissus Soaking Wet” - B-

Hear it here: https://soundcloud.com/thechrisrobinsonbrotherhood/01-narcissus-soaking-wet-mastered-p2p