The Black Crowes: Warpaint Live Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

The Black Crowes: Warpaint Live Blu-ray Movie Review

“Some guys know how to party, and some just don’t!” - Chris Robinson

Having sold more than twenty million records ever since they arrived on the music scene in 1989, The Black Crowes are a band with an impressive roster of hits. Blending blues with old-school rock into trippy psychedelia, the band has mastered a unique sound that cannot be mistaken.

The Black Crowes have released a total of seven studio albums – Shake Your Money Maker (1990), The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (1992), Amorica (1994), Three Snakes & One Charm (1996), By Your Side (1999), Lions (2001), and Warpaint (2008). Their new album, tentatively titled Before The Frost...Until The Freeze, is set to be released this September.

Recorded live at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles, California on March 20, 2008, and initially released as a 2CD set on April 28, Warpaint Live is now available on Blu-ray courtesy of Eagle Rock Entertainment. The disc contains a total of seventeen songs, mostly new material. There are a few interesting covers as well – Mick Jagger and Keith Richards’ “Torn and Frayed”, Eric Clapton and Bonnie Bramlett’s “ Don’t Know Why”, J. Ford and D. Bramlett’s “Poor Elijah - Tribute To Johnson”, Jerry A. Miller, Jr. and Donald J. Stevenson’s “Hey Grandma”, as well Reverend Charlie Jackson’s timeless classic “God’s Got it”.

I truly enjoyed Warpaint Live. From start to finish, The Black Crowes perform with an admirable amount of energy that certainly adds a very special vibe to their music, one that was definitely missing after Amorica. ”We Who See The Deep”, "Evergreen", “Movin’ On Down The Line” and especially "Wounded Bird" sound absolutely fantastic live.

I know that some of the band's hardcore fans may disagree with me and argue that Chris, Rich, Luther, Steve, Adam, and Sven have permanently lost their edge. I urge you, however, to take a look at Warpaint Live as this is an impressive return to the organic sound from the rockers' earlier albums. There are even a few outstanding covers here, which some of you may find even more appealing than their own songs.

Wounded Bird

The Black Crowes: Warpaint Live Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080i transfer, The Black Crowes: Warpaint Live arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Eagle Rock Entertainment.

This is a pleasing transfer. Contrast is consistently strong, clarity good and detail satisfactory. The color-scheme is also adequate. Greens, blues, reds and yellows look strong. There are no shadow issues that I detected, though occasionally it is difficult to see what happens behind the lead singer. Motion-judder is definitely not an issue of concern. I did not spot any heavy macroblocking patterns either. Occasionally, however, there is a bit of noise that pops up here and there. Still, The Black Crowes: Warpaint Live looks good on Blu-ray and I have absolutely no problem recommending it to fans of the band. (Note: This is a Region-Free disc. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).

The Black Crowes: Warpaint Live Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are three audio tracks on this Bu-ray disc: Music DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Music Dolby Digital 5.1 and Music LPCM 2.0. I opted for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and later on did a few random comparisons with the other two tracks for the purpose of this review.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is well balanced, clear and pleasingly potent. The bass is rich but not overpowering, the high frequencies not overdone and the rear channels intelligently used. The individual guitar solos (We Who See The Deep) are impressive. Additionally, the vocals are crisp and clear. For the record, I did not detect any disturbing dropouts, cracks, pop, or hissings.

As far as balance is concerned, the LPCM 2.0 track is only marginally better. It is easier to hear an improvement between the vocals and the guitars/drums than between the individual instruments. The dynamics are slightly less impressive. The bass is also weaker, though not disappointing. Finally, there are no audio fluctuations that I detected.

The Dolby Digital 5.1 track is in fact quite good. Still, its dynamics are not comparable to the dynamics of the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. Depth is what the Dolby Digital 5.1 lacks the most. Additionally, the vocals do not project well.

The Black Crowes: Warpaint Live Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Most unfortunately, there are absolutely no supplemental features to be be found on this Blu-ray disc. However, Eagle Rock Entertainment have supplied a tiny booklet with photos from the concert.

The Black Crowes: Warpaint Live Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Three years after the critically acclaimed Warpaint CD was released, Eagle Rock Entertainment bring The Black Crowes: Warpaint Live to Blu-ray. The disc looks and sounds very good. It is also attractively priced. Highly Recommended.