The Black Crowes Release 'The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion' Box Set

12-16-2023

(UME) The Black Crowes released the box set of their chart-topping sophomore album, The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion, via American Recordings/UMe. The album, which entered the US Billboard album chart at No. 1 upon release in 1992, was named after a post-Civil War southern hymnal and is home to some of the band's biggest hits, including "Remedy," "Sting Me," and "Thorn in My Pride" which were #1 on the Billboard Main Stream Rock Airplay chart for a combined total of 21 weeks. Rich and Chris Robinson, alongside producer George Drakoulias, revisited the archives for the instant classic album. They also created a special super deluxe edition featuring unreleased studio recordings, rare B-sides, a live performance from Sam Houston Coliseum in Houston, TX, on February 6, 1993, and a newly remastered album from the original 1/4″ production master. The boxset features 14 unreleased recordings, including a previously unreleased studio recording of "Miserable" and a new take on the Memphis soul classic "99 Pounds." Originally from the catalog of renowned Memphis soul singer-songwriter Ann Peebles "99 Pounds" was first released on her 1972 album Straight From the Heart. The Black Crowes' cover of is a classic Rock & Roll take on a Southern Soul ballad.

At the end of the Southern Harmony and Musical Companion recording sessions in early 1992, the band performed live on the famed Southern Tracks Studio floor in Atlanta, GA, on January 4, 1992. The session was captured by a film crew and, true to The Black Crowes form, turned into a party. These never-before-released until now, live, studio recordings, feature five songs, including their cover of Ry Cooder's "Boomer's Story." Also included in the super deluxe edition, Southern Harmony Live, featuring all the tracks off the album, performed live in Houston, TX, on February 6, 1993. This legendary and much-bootlegged show has now been mixed from the 24-track tapes and is available alongside the original album, which has been remastered from the 1/4″ production master.

The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion is available now on stunning 4LP, 3CD, 2 CD, and 1LP formats. An exclusive, limited-edition "Remedy" Lyric T-shirt or Trucker Hat is also available as Fan Packs bundled with the 1LP in the Black Crowes official store here. Alongside the box set, the band released a super deluxe digital audio today. The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion is now available here (ad).

The Black Crowes Chris Robinson said, "We've always thought that the music on Southern Harmony and Musical Companion was made of a certain magic that was in the air for us in 1992. This special box set represents all the ingredients of the spell we were under." "I always felt that Southern Harmony was us coming into our own as a band and creating our sound." The Black Crowes Rich Robinson elaborated. "We made the record in 8 days. Every song was one or two takes. No more than that. It was a snapshot of a band possessing all of its powers, and it still resonates with me to this day."

The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion is available in the following formats: The Super Deluxe 4LP and 3CD Box Sets include the remastered The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion from the original 1/4" production master (LP1/CD1.) (LP2/ CD2) "More Harmony: Unreleased, Outtakes and B-Sides" features a collection of nine songs from the Southern Harmony recording sessions at Southern Tracks in Atlanta, GA between December 1991 and January 1992, including two unreleased recordings "99 Pounds" and "Miserable." On the last day of recording, the band played live, in studio on January 4, 1992, with covers of Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women #12 and 35," and Ry Cooder's "Boomer's Story." (LP3-4/ CD3) "Southern Harmony Live: February 6, 1993," in Houston, TX., originally recorded on a 24-track tape. The performance features eight of the Southern Harmony album tracks and a seven-minute "Jam."

Both the LP and CD box set include a reproduction of the original 132-page promotional hymn book featuring insights on the record and a set of lithographs of classic images from the Southern Harmony photo sessions. All LPs in the box are 180g vinyl.

A limited-edition, e-comm exclusive of the 4LP Super Deluxe version signed by Chris and Rich Robinson.

The Deluxe 2CD set features the 2023 remaster of the original The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, plus a bonus CD, "The Best of the Box," containing nine rare and unreleased sections from the super deluxe box set.

1LP 2023 limited edition remaster of Southern Harmony and Musical Companion on 140g black vinyl, with the audio sourced from the original 1/4" production master tape.

Track Listing

4-LP SET

LP1- The Southern Harmony & Musical Companion
Sting Me (Side A)
Remedy (Side A)
Thorn In My Pride (Side A)
Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye (Side A)
Sometimes Salvation (Side A)
Hotel Illness (Side B)
Black Moon Creeping (Side B)
No Speak No Slave (Side B)
My Morning Song (Side B)
Time Will Tell (Side B)

LP2- More Companions: Unreleased, Outtakes and B-Sides
99 Pounds (Side C)
Miserable (Side C)
Rainy Day Women No 12 & 35 (Side C)
Boomer's Story (Side C)
Darling of The Underground Press (Side C)
Sting Me (Slow) (Side D)
Bad Luck Blue Eyes, Goodbye (Side D)
Sometimes Salvation (Side D)
Black Moon Creeping (Side D)

LP3- Southern Harmony Live: February 6, 1993 (Houston, TX)
No Speak No Slave (Side A)
Sting Me (Side A)
My Morning Song (Side A)
Jam (Side B)
Thorn in My Pride (Side B)

LP4- Southern Harmony Live: February 6, 1993 (Houston, TX)
Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye (Side C)
Black Moon Creeping (Side C)
Hotel Illness (Side C)
Sometimes Salvation (Side D)
Remedy (Side D)

3-CD SET

CD1- The Southern Harmony & Musical Companion
Sting me
Remedy
Thorn In My Pride
Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye
Sometimes Salvation
Hotel Illness
Black Moon Creeping
No Speak No Slave
My Morning Song
Time Will Tell

CD2- More Companions: Unreleased, Outtakes and B-Sides
99 Pounds
Miserable
Rainy Day Women No 12 & 35
Boomer's Story
Darling of The Underground Press
Sting Me (Slow)
Bad Luck Blue Eyes, Goodbye
Sometimes Salvation
Black Moon Creeping

CD3- Southern Harmony Live: February 6, 1993 (Houston, TX)
No Speak No Slave
Sting Me
My Morning Song
Jam
Thorn in My Pride
Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye
Black Moon Creeping
Hotel Illness
Sometimes Salvation
Remedy

LP1

DISC 1
Sting Me (Side A)
Remedy (Side A)
Thorn In My Pride (Side A)
Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye (Side A)
Sometimes Salvation (Side A)
Hotel Illness (Side B)
Black Moon Creeping (Side B)
No Speak No Slave (Side B)
My Morning Song (Side B)
Time Will Tell (Side B)

2CD

DISC 1
Sting Me
Remedy
Thorn In My Pride
Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye
Sometimes Salvation
Hotel Illness
Black Moon Creeping
No Speak No Slave
My Morning Song
Time Will Tell

DISC 2
99 Pounds
Darling of The Underground Rainy Day Women No 12 & 35
Sting Me (Slow)
Thorn in My Pride
My Morning Song
Black Moon Creeping
Sometimes Salvation
Remedy

DIGITAL ALBUM
Sting Me
Remedy
Thorn In My Pride
Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye
Sometimes Salvation
Hotel Illness
Black Moon Creeping
No Speak No Slave
My Morning Song
Time Will Tell
99 Pounds
Miserable
Rainy Day Women No 12 & 35
Boomer's Story
Darling Of The Underground Press
Sting Me (Slow)
Bad Luck Blue Eyes, Goodbye
Sometimes Salvation
Black Moon Creeping
No Speak No Slave
Sting Me
My Morning Song
Jam
Thorn in My Pride
Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye
Black Moon Creeping
Hotel Illness
Sometimes Salvation
Remedy