Chris Robinson Brotherhood

★★★ Betty’s Midwestern Magick Blends SILVER ARROW. DL/LP

More live alchemy from Black Crowes alumnus. Since ditching The Black Crowes and initiating the Brotherhood, it’s hard to fault Chris Robinson’s assiduous focus on co-opting Deadheads. Inexhaustible touring (200 shows a year) and two sets a night of Cosmic American Music have produced a steady stream of live albums, all recorded by the Grateful Dead’s old engineer, Betty Cantor-Jackson. This fourth volume finds the CRB rolling through Milwaukee, Madison and Chicago in October 2016, with an easy-going but musically elevated mix of party covers (Dylan, the Stones, Steppenwolf) and their own rootsy, funky jams. It’s not one of their more psychedelic sets – think Dead circa ’72 rather than ’69 – but, as ever, lead guitarist Neal Casal excels, especially on an exploratory California Hymn. Less bombastic than in his Crowes pomp, freak flag flying higher than ever, Robinson remains an acquired taste. Once you’re on his bus, though, it’s exceptionally hard to get off.