Having fully acclimated itself to their Brotherhood Arts Laboratory recording studio over the course of the previous album, Barefoot in the Head, the Chris Robinson Brotherhood makes a concerted effort to conjure up material and document recordings expressly designed for live performances on Servants of the Sun. The end result is the most streamlined and purposeful entry into their discography since the opening one-two punch of 2012, Big Moon Ritual and The Magic Door.
The CRB doesn’t wholly recapture the unified sense of inspiration that earmarked their initial work, but they come close. The opening peals of Neal Casal’s guitars and Adam MacDougall’s electronic keyboards comprise an extended opening for “Some Earthly Delights” that expressly reaffirms the bright intimations of this album’s title (and, not coincidentally, it’s cover graphic). The playing of the duo who founded Circles Around The Sun also receives an emphatic push from drummer Tony Leone and bassist Jeff Hill.
There are no lyrics supplied within the CD digipak (or in the vinyl LP packaging either) which is just as well. Pondering what sounds like some amorphous musing in Chris Robinson’s lead vocal might well distract and detract from the instrumental momentum. However, no such danger appears imminent during the motion of the band as it bounces lightly into the ingratiating syncopation of “Rare Birds,” as MacDougall’s clavinet is just as prominent as his synthesizers here, all to the good given his over-reliance on the latter on past records and during stage shows. Speaking of which, the equally fluent and earthy motion of the group on “Venus In Chrome” is proof positive how previous workouts in concert aided in the formulation of a precise arrangement.
There are some extra glimmers of guitar on that number as well and during the tune’s more measured counterpart, “Stars Fell On California.” Noticeably conspicuous in the mix as engineered here by recordist Robert Cheek, Neal Casal is a musician clearly progressing in technique and feel. As a result, Servants of the Sun benefits from his growth, particularly on the longest track “The Chauffeur’s Daughter,” where his pointed playing offsets an air of ennui arising from this record at various points.
Let It Fall” and “Comin’ Round the Mountain.” in fact, most clearly betray how forced some of Servants of the Sun sounds. These songs are decidedly more derivative than virtually all previous self-composed CRB material—specifically of the Grateful Dead circa 1972–and while bandleader Robinson’s self-professed admiration for those iconic psychedelic warriors might even suggest the emulation is deliberate, the end result is simply overt evidence of a nagging static feel that, to some degree, undermines the overall impact of this album.
Perhaps that imperfection is the direct (and wholly understandable) result of the near-perpetual cycle of touring and recording the CRB has maintained in recent years. And the accompanying sense of tedium may very well account for the dual (and markedly abrupt) announcement of MacDougall’s departure from the group as well as an impending hiatus of indeterminate length. Hopefully, Servants of the Sun will end up a merely a transitional work for the Chris Robinson Brotherhood because, as with its half-dozen other studio efforts, its strengths outweigh its frailties even, as it seems on some listens, just barely.