Before the Frost...Until the Freeze is the eighth studio album by American rock band The Black Crowes. It was recorded before a live audience at Levon Helm's Woodstock, New York, studio, The Barn, in late February and early March, 2009.[1]
The album was produced by longtime band collaborator Paul Stacey and released on Silver Arrow Records. The CD itself is designed to have the appearance of a vinyl record. Originally, only the Before the Frost portion of the double album was available on CD, and the CD purchase came with a code allowing download of the Until the Freeze portion from the Black Crowes website. A vinyl version was also released, featuring all the same songs but in a different running order.[2]Before the Frost...Until the Freeze is the band's last album of original material to feature longtime drummer Steve Gorman, guitarist Luther Dickinson and keyboardist Adam MacDougall.
Before the Frost...Until the Freeze received generally favorable reviews upon its release, receiving a 75/100 critic score and a 9/10 user score on Metacritic.[3]Paste noted the album "captures the best aspects of one of rock’s finest eras: a balance of structured songwriting and loose grooves, catchy choruses and meandering solos, hard rocking songs and easy-going attitude,"[6] while All Music Guide note that the band "wear their years proudly on this terrific album, sounding like the veteran roadhounds they've always aspired to be."[4] Many critics also noted the renewed stylistic approach of the band on Before the Frost..., Uncut calling the album "an inspired move"[11] and The Record Review commenting that the record "feels right, as if this is exactly the record that they needed to make at this point, both to separate from their musical past as well as to open up the future."[12]
Cabin Fever
The Black Crowes also released a film on DVD documenting the recording of the album, entitled Cabin Fever, which included several songs not featured on the album.