"Lions" is the sixth studio album by American rock band The Black Crowes. Released on May 7, 2001, it was produced by Don Was and the band itself. The album's style varies from song to song, with genres including hard rock, psychedelic pop, and slow melancholy tunes. It showcases the band's maturity in songwriting and instrumental execution, with a broad range of rock influences.
The recording process for "Lions" was notably different from their past ones. The album was recorded live in a New York City theatre, with the intent of capturing the rawness and spontaneity of the band's live performances. This approach resulted in an album that was critiqued as uneven, yet undeniably echoing the band's live-stage energy.
This album houses hits like "Lickin", "Midnight From The Inside Out" and "Soul Singin", which gained substantial airplay. Despite shaky reviews from critics, Lions peaked at number 20 on the Billboard 200 chart, proving its commercial appeal.
It was the last album that The Black Crowes released before they announced their hiatus in 2002. Subsequently, the band has had multiple reunions and disbandments, adding to the notability of "Lions" within the band's discography. The combination of the Black Crowes' signature southern rock sound with experimentation on this album renders it to a unique position in the landscape of early 2000’s rock.
