Before the Frost...Until the Freeze

Before the Frost...Until the Freeze
Studio album by The Black Crowes
Released	August 31, 2009
Genre	Southern rock, blues rock, hard rock
Length	101:00
Label	Silver Arrow
Producer	Paul Stacey
The Black Crowes chronology
Warpaint (2008) Before the Frost...Until the Freeze (2009) Croweology (2010)

Before the Frost...Until the Freeze is the eighth and final studio album by American rock band The Black Crowes. It was recorded before a live audience at Levon Helm's Woodstock, NY studio, The Barn in late February and early March, 2009.^[1] The album was produced by longtime band collaborator Paul Stacey, and released on Silver Arrow Records. The CD itself is designed to have the appearance of a vinyl record. Originally, only the Before the Frost portion of the double album was available on CD, and the CD purchase came with a code allowing download of the Until the Freeze portion from the Black Crowes website. A vinyl version was also released, featuring all songs but in a different running order.^[2]

Track listing

All tracks written by Chris and Rich Robinson, except where noted.

CD version

Before the Frost... [CD]

1. "Good Morning Captain" – 3:24
2. "Been a Long Time (Waiting on Love)" – 7:47
3. "Appaloosa" – 3:35
4. "A Train Still Makes a Lonely Sound" – 4:23
5. "I Ain't Hiding" (C. Robinson) – 5:57
6. "Kept My Soul" – 5:23
7. "What Is Home?" (R. Robinson) – 5:13
8. "Houston Don't Dream About Me" – 5:05
9. "Make Glad" – 4:18
10. "And the Band Played On..." – 4:12
11. "The Last Place That Love Lives" (C. Robinson) – 4:57

...Until the Freeze [download]

1. "Aimless Peacock" – 6:40
2. "The Shady Grove" – 4:42
3. "The Garden Gate" – 4:21
4. "Greenhorn" – 7:12
5. "Shine Along" – 4:47
6. "Roll Old Jeremiah" (C. Robinson) – 4:40
7. "Lady of Avenue A" – 5:20
8. "So Many Times" (Chris Hillman, Stephen Stills) – 4:53
9. "Fork in the River" (C. Robinson) – 4:11

Vinyl version

Side 1

1. "Aimless Peacock" – 6:40
2. "Good Morning Captain" – 3:24
3. "Been a Long Time (Waiting on Love)" – 7:47
4. "Greenhorn" – 7:12

Side 2

1. "Appaloosa" – 3:35
2. "The Shady Grove"  – 4:42
3. "The Garden Gate" – 4:21
4. "Shine Along" – 4:47
5. "Roll Old Jeremiah" (C. Robinson) – 4:40
6. "Houston Don't Dream About Me" – 5:05

Side 3

1. "I Ain't Hiding" (C. Robinson) – 5:57
2. "Kept My Soul" – 5:23
3. "Lady of Ave. A" – 5:20
4. "Make Glad" – 4:18
5. "And the Band Played On..." – 4:12

Side 4

1. "What Is Home?" (R. Robinson) – 5:13
2. "So Many Times" (Hillman, Stills) – 4:53
3. "A Train Still Makes a Lonely Sound" – 4:23
4. "Fork in the River" (C. Robinson) – 4:11
5. "The Last Place That Love Lives" (C. Robinson) – 4:57

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	(75/100)[3]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[4]
Antiquiet	[5]
Jambands	[6]
Los Angeles Times	[7]
Paste	(8.1/10)[8]
PopMatters	[9]
Robert Christgau	[10]
Rolling Stone	[11]
Sputnikmusic	[12]
Uncut	[13]

Before the Frost...Until the Freeze received generally favorable reviews upon its release, receiving a 75/100 critic score and a 9/10 user score on Metacritic.^[3] Paste noted the album "captures the best aspects of one of rock’s finest eras: a balance of structured songwriting and loose grooves, catchy choruses and meandering solos, hard rocking songs and easy-going attitude,"^[8] while All Music Guide note that the band "wear their years proudly on this terrific album, sounding like the veteran roadhounds they've always aspired to be."^[4] Many critics also noted the renewed stylistic approach of the band on Before the Frost..., Uncut calling the album "an inspired move"^[13] and The Record Review commenting that the record "feels right, as if this is exactly the record that they needed to make at this point, both to separate from their musical past as well as to open up the future."^[14]

Cabin Fever

The Black Crowes also released a film on DVD documenting the recording of the album, entitled Cabin Fever, which included several songs not featured on the album.

Track list

1. "Aimless Peacock"
2. "Good Morning Captain"
3. "Shady Grove"
4. "Oh Sweet Nuthin'" {Velvet Underground cover}
5. "Garden Gate"
6. "Roll Old Jeremiah"
7. "Appaloosa"
8. "Little Lizzie Mae"
9. "What Is Home"
10. "Been a Long Time (Waiting on Love)"
11. "Shine Along"

Bonus tracks

1. "Shady Grove"
2. "The Dolphins" {Fred Neil cover}

Personnel

The Black Crowes

• Christopher Robinson – vocals, harmonica, guitars
• Richard Robinson – guitars, sitar, vocals
• Steve Gorman – drums, percussion
• Sven Pipien – bass, vocals
• Luther Dickinson – guitars, mandolin
• Adam MacDougall – keyboards, vocals

Additional personnel

• Larry Campbell – banjo, fiddle, pedal steel
• Joe Magistro – percussion

Production

• Paul Stacey – producer, engineer, mixing
• Justin Guip – engineer
• Chris Edwards – engineer
• James Russick Smith, Brendan McDonough – assistant engineer
• Phillip Parsons, Ben Hampson – assistant mixing engineer
• Pete Angelus – manager (Angelus Entertainment)
• Amy Finkle – manager (Angelus Entertainment, East Coast)
• Adam "Cutlets" Richards – band assistant
• Arik Roper – illustrations
• Alan Forbes – poster art

References

1. "Review". Jambase.com. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
2. ""BEFORE THE FROST…UNTIL THE FREEZE" OUT AUGUST 31". Blackcrowes.com. Archived from the original on 2009-08-13. Retrieved 2010-04-07.
3. "Critic Reviews for Before the Frost...". Metacritic. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
4. Allmusic review
5. Firecloud, Johnny (2009-09-02). "The Black Crowes Fly Higher". Antiquiet. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
6. Robbins, Brian (2009-10-05). "The Black Crowes: Before the Frost... Until the Freeze". Jambands. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
7. Lewis, Randy (2009-08-31). "Album review: Black Crowes' 'Before the Frost'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
8. Jacobs, Justin (2009-10-01). "The Black Crowes: Before the Frost...Until the Freeze :: Music :: Reviews :: Paste". Paste. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
9. Leftridge, Steve (2009-09-18). "The Black Crowes: Before the Frost...Until the Freeze". PopMatters. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
10. Christgau, Robert. "CG: The Black Crowes". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
11. Kemp, Mark (2009-08-31). "Before The Frost... Until The Freeze". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
12. Rudy K. (2009-09-02). "The Black Crowes - Before the Frost... Until the Freeze (album review - staff)". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
13. Mueller, Andrew. "Black Crowes - Before The Frost...". Uncut. Archived from the original on 2011-05-19. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
14. "The Black Crowes Reawakened « The Record Review". The Record Review. 2009-09-02. Retrieved 2011-09-17.