Crow Jail Alley are a young Italian quartet with a range of classic rock influences in particular 1970’s Southern Rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd as well as latter day heroes Black Crows. Their (very) short bio also lobs in Pearl Jam and Mother Love Bone as influences alongside Aerosmith, Led Zep and Dave Matthews. Quite an intriguing mix, I’m sure you’ll agree. 

Being a massive fan of Skynyrd (obsessive to the point of madness, actually) I was curious to take a listen. The tracks on the band’s EP Truth Sin and Believe were recorded mainly live at the Saojo Studio by Riccardo Asquino who has definitely captured as a very early Skynyrd vibe, the sort that can be heard on Skynyrd’s rarities CD’s. 

On my first listen I thought that Master of Ceremonies sounded somewhat like the Bottle Rockets whilst Mrs Simon was of the opinion that it was reminiscent of Hootie and the Blowfish which I can also see to some extent but the solo is too rocking for that comparison to be fully realised. The Things You Can’t Say definitely has a Pearl Jam sound to it whilst I Can Lose My Soul is really funky in a decidedly 70’s way and it’s almost as the last three decades haven’t existed (and I mean that in a good way.) 

Away is the penultimate tune and opens in downbeat mood yet, as it meanders on, reveals itself to be rather uplifting. Back To Devil’s Island takes a while to get going and again finds the band in grunge territory, which ordinarily would make me run a mile, but there’s something about this classic rock hybrid that keeps the song, and Crow Jail Alley, in my good books. 

Crow Jail Alley certainly wear their influences on their sleeves and some remarkably unconcerned with sounding like what’s “in” and more power to them for that.

Let us know your views on Truth, Sin And Believe

 Track Listing

Master Of Ceremonies
The Things That You Can't Say
I Can Lose My Soul
Away
Back To Devil's Land

Line Up

Fabio Carpenedo - Vocals
Andrea Mauro - Guitars
Fabio Sant - Bass
Giovanni Francescon - Drums