For a few years now, Black Crowes’ drummer Steve Gorman has been trying to find that next batch of lightning in a bottle. I mean, it’s a helluva challenge for even a guy of Gorman’s caliber to be starting a new band, all after being at the core of one of the most successful rock groups of the modern era, so deep down he knows that whatever project comes next better be good. Or better yet, it better be special. 

Well, it IS, both damn good and very special. Gorman has spent much of his post-Crowes time gathering together one of the most talented and versatile ensembles in rock today, and if Trigger Hippy’s debut record is any indication, Gorman has struck gold again, or at the very least has successfully formed what could be a force on the rock scene for years to come.

The self-titled Trigger Hippy is an eclectic, wide ranging yet familiar and ultimately very strong collection of music from this “supergroup” featuring Gorman, Joan Osborne, Jackie Greene, Nick Gorvik and rounded out with Nashville session guitar legend Tom Bukovac. Originally conceived by Gorman as a jam band of sorts, once he discovered what Osborne and Greene could do together vocally, he realized he had something very special. And that combination, as well as the rest of the band, shines brilliantly on this exceptional first outing. 

“Rise Up Singing,”, the album’s first track, is perfectly emblematic of the power of the collaboration between Osborne and Greene, which throughout the record brings a mutual power and affection, it’s somewhat of a Tedeschi-Trucks vibe (which sure ain’t a bad thing) but TH hits you a bit rawer, harder and funkier. This solid first tune sets the tone for the rest of the songs, as Greene and Osborne sing, “One of the these days I’m gonna rise up singing with you.” And rise up and sing they do, both solo and together, their two voices largely (and intentionally) define the band’s sound, and with a truly exceptional group of musicians such as this behind them, they sail on top of the music like a fast cutting schooner.

Osborne puts out her sexy funky side on “Turpentine”, singing about life being “sweetly sticky in the summertime” and it’s here where you really get why Osborne joined a more rock-geared band than she was used to in her solo career, she just knows how to sing these songs. Amidst soaring solos by Bokovac and Greene, and the killer session-level rhythm section of Gorman and Gorvik, Osborne shines here and throughout the album’s eleven songs. Gorman told me recently that he was only thinking of male lead singers when looking to originally fill the slot, but heard his old pal Joan’s song on the car radio one day and went, “What am I thinking?! That’s it!” Making the choice of Osborne is a testimony to Gorman’s good judgement and savvy knowledge of what will not only move him and his bandmates but will also resonate with the music listening and file buying public. Oh, and yes, Osborne accepted Gorman’s offer, arrived in Nashville two months later, and has never looked back. 

The record’s memorable third track “Heartache On The Line” is a song about desperately trying to stay strong together through hard times and the struggles of life, and Greene and Osborne mesh beautifully over Greene’s gorgeous organ fills, creating a song that has already become a live favorite. Greene and Osborne set a tone here that feels like they’ve been singing together for decades; “You and me babe, we got nothin’ but time,” they wail achingly to each other, “the kids are all grown and the money’s all gone, it’s heartache on the line.” They do seem to know their demo, and speak directly to them here. I know I felt it.  

The record only gets stronger, with each member shining at his or her specialty whether it be writing or playing. “Cave Hill Cemetery” and “Tennessee Mud” — Southern rockers that are a bit reminiscent of the best of Skynyrd survivors Rossington Collins Band — harken back to a bit of that Black Crowes in- your-face rock and roll Gorman knows so very well, with Osborne riding the rock side saddle in perfect fashion and Greene and Co. galloping perfectly alongside. Bassist Gorvik’s “Pretty Mess” shows that he is also a songwriting force, it’s one of the album’s most poignant songs, especially with lines like, “I get shattered when you’re around, you pick up the pieces when I hit the ground, ain’t nothing gonna carry away shattered pieces, and the pretty mess we made.” These guys can not only rock-funk your socks off, they write damn good sings to boot. 

Gorvik shines again with the record’s closer “Adelaide”, a beautiful plea for reconciliation that he wrote and sings with Osborne. There’s a Randy Newman-esque feel to Gorvik’s vocals, and the ending choruses echo a bit of Elvis Costello’s “Alison.” It’s a fitting end to a stellar collection of very different kinds of songs.  

And speaking of the record’s songwriting credits, everyone has a hand in this album as far as penning the tunes, and that bench depth and versatility shines brightly from cut to cut. Trigger Hippy has a real and palpable chemistry on stage, they clearly enjoy playing together and carry that feeling through to their audience live. But the most encouraging thing is that they have found that same chemistry in the studio, where egos can get mighty dicey mighty fast behind those big soundproofed walls.

Gorman has clearly hit the lottery with this collection of true pros, and has wonderfully transferred that great live vibe he and the band have built into the studio. With this first effort, Gorman has Trigger Hippy on just the right path. 

[Trigger Hippy is (L-R) Tom Bukovac, Steve Gorman, Nick Gorvik, Joan Osborne and Jackie Greene – Photo Courtesy Trigger Hippy]