The Horrible Crowes: Elsie

Gaslight Anthem man’s very impressive side-project.

By Sian Llewellyn
( Classic Rock )
published

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On paper, a collaboration between a frontman whose day job band is very much in the ascendency and his guitar tech seems like an impossibly bad idea. In reality, it sounds wonderful.

Last Rites, the short, piano-led mournful opener sets the scene for an album steeped in sublime, gentle beauty. Sure, there are a couple of moments that echo Gaslight – Behold The Hurricane would have worked on American Slang for example – but co-writing with longtime buddy Ian Perkins has brought out a different dimension to Brian Fallon’s creativity.

Mary Ann is possibly the finest song Tom Waits never wrote – all bluesy bluster and controlled chaos, while closer I Believe Jesus Has Brought Us Together recalls Paul Westerberg at his most fragile.

A wonderful album, then, despite its very random title.

Sian Llewellyn
Sian Llewellyn
Classic Rock, Editor

Classic Rock editor Siân has worked on the magazine for longer than she cares to discuss, and prior to that was deputy editor of Total Guitar. During that time, she’s had the chance to interview artists such as Brian May, Slash, Jeff Beck, James Hetfield, Sammy Hagar, Alice Cooper, Manic Street Preachers and countless more. She has hosted The Classic Rock Magazine Show on both TotalRock and TeamRock radio, contributed to CR’s The 20 Million Club podcast and has also had bylines in Metal Hammer, Guitarist, Total Film, Cult TV and more.  When not listening to, playing, thinking or writing about music, she can be found getting increasingly more depressed about the state of the Welsh national rugby team and her beloved Pittsburgh Steelers.