Written by: Steve Lucas
Band:
Title:
Release Date:
Alabama Crow
Open For Business
27th March 2026
If you read ERB’s excellent interview with Alabama Crow from last year, you’ll have read how the loss of his mother acted as a catalyst for frontman Billy to bring these guys together as a band and provided lyrical inspiration for some of the songs. Opening track Mother is clearly a tribute to his mum. But, although a sad subject, it doesn’t feel like a sad song. Sound wise, there’s a bit less overdrive about it, and that gives the song a different feel to what we’ve heard so far. The lyrics talk about the grief, loss and the happy memories we try to bring to the front of our mind when we lose someone close. I suspect it’s a tricky song for Billy to perform, but I hope he finds the strength to include it in their live performances. It’s a damn fine song and it’s a subject that will resonate with audiences.
The second track Secrets is the major surprise on this album. I’d say it’s a psychedelic grunge song. A real departure. They haven’t just tweaked the formula on this one, they’ve thrown the formula away and done something completely different. For a track on a debut album, I think it’s really brave. There may well be listeners who don’t get this track and may feel it doesn’t fit. But for me, it shows what a diverse range of creativity they have in this band. I think it’s a belter, but it won’t float everyone’s boat.
Next we get another track with a different flavour. Speechless is rhythmic chant, reminiscent of some of Neil Young’s heavier work. Its percussive throb sounds like the beating drum of a Viking long boat. It’s relentless and commands you to listen, like a call to arms preparing you for the final assault.
And so, we come to the title track, Open for Business. It starts with the sort of opening designed to give the band a chance to get some rhythmic hand clapping or air punching going. It’s the perfect riposte to the slightly more solemn opening track. It says, OK, dry your eyes and let’s get back on the horse. Life is for living. It has a great recurring riff and an anthemic chorus. Another cracker of a track and another smoothly managed switch of styles.
… There are lots of twists and turns and a fearless statement: We are no one-trick ponies…
Sold My Soul (To The Devil) is up-tempo and starts with a catchy riff that recurs frequently. It’s punchy without being aggressive and it directs you back to more familiar territory. It doesn’t grab you by the scruff of the neck and drag you there but suggests you might want to follow the path anyway.
Get Out Alive is a bit of return to base, but it’s edgier and more aggressive than some of the other tracks. Once again, you can hear the musicians change their style to suit the song. The rhythm section has more urgency and the vocal is brutal. This is a bit more head banging than foot tapping – more AC/DC than Bad Company if you will.
Feelings To Myself is the same musicians playing the same instruments. But it couldn’t feel more different than some of the other tracks. It has a very Latin American feel to it with some clever bossa nova style work from drums and bass. Add some equally clever use of vocal harmonies and the occasional stop/start to keep you on your toes. Even the guitar solo feels different; it fits the track perfectly. I’m no ballroom dancing expert, but I’ve got visions of this track being played on an episode of Strictly Come Dancing. It’s a transformation and it’s terrific.
Loving Cries is a NWOCR banger. It starts with a great riff that keeps coming back and is liberally dosed with Hendrix chords through the verses. Again, we’re shown a different vocal style. It made me think of the slightly haunting style of Caleb Followill of Kings of Leon. Then we get another well-crafted guitar solo, and we’ve had another demonstration of how to do the unexpected.
Inside Fire is another smorgasbord of styles brilliantly delivered. My ears picked up the harmonized guitars made famous by the likes of Thin Lizzy. In the choruses, the guitars take on a punk style chugging rhythm. The vocal is somehow less in your face. It’s like a protective blanket has been laid over lots of sharp implements trying to hurt you. Then they throw in a Kirk Hammet style solo and it’s another different, but well executed track.
That final assault comes in the form of True Colours. This song has ‘driving track’ stamped on it. The opening riff is the engine being started and revved up to annoy the neighbours. Then the song hits the open road with a verse that floats over a steady chug. The chorus crescendos like the accelerator being pressed hard to overtake another car. After a couple of goes around the block. We get the face melting solo that takes us to a clever bridge that feels like we’ve slowed down to drive through a small town with the windows down and the music turned up. We’re treated to another solo before the pedal gets pressed and we accelerate to the dramatic ending.
Wrapping up the album is Alabama Crow. It’s an up-tempo, positive song about the power of music. It’s the very epitome of classic rock, with a catchy riff and a punchy vocal verse. Then comes a call and response chorus to get you engaged and then sprinkle a bit of lead guitar magic dust on top. There’s nothing unusual about it, but it is very well delivered, and it gives you a sense of what these guys are about. It’s a fun, foot tapping singalong closer!
There really is something for every rock fan on this album. And for a first go, the band have cut no corners or compromised. There’s no playing it safe and giving punters what they might reasonably be expecting. There are lots of twists and turns and a fearless statement: We are no one-trick ponies. I’ve been lucky enough to see these guys play a couple of sets and I can’t wait to see them again, hopefully playing longer sets, so they get to show off their full repertoire.
This is a belter of an album. The Crow really has taken flight.
Alabama Crow are:
Billy Jack – Vocals
Paul Randall – Guitar
Danny Elder – Bass
Craig Duncan – Drums
Track Listing
-
Mother
- Secrets
- Speechless
- Open For Business
- Sold My Soul (To The Devil)
- Get Out Alive
- Feelings To Myself
- Loving Cries
- Inside Fire
- True Colours
- Alabama Crow