It has been twenty years since the Black Crowes accidentally became one of America’s favorite rock n’ roll bands. They didn’t go looking for success; it found them. Now, after two decades of on again, off again starts and stops, a dozen or so hits and tons of touring, the band has released Croweology, an acoustic reworking of several of their classic tunes and favorite album cuts. And, it has led to the band announcing that once the tour for the album is over they’re, once again, going on hiatus.

Another break? Damn, and just when things are getting good again. Most bands would rework their old hits in an attempt at easy money but the Crowes did it in a really cool way. The songs are still recognizable but the acoustic offerings make them more, well.. homey. This is not a mellow bunch of tunes as one might expect. The Crowes remind us that acoustic instruments can scuttle butt along in their own right.

Die hards will throw stones at me for saying that stripped down many of these songs make the band sound even MORE like early Rolling Stones but they do and in this case that is a good thing.

Pick this one up in the tradition of “Now for something completely different” only it isn’t really completely different. Still, its different enough to be interesting and Black Crowes cool.