Betty's Self-Rising Southern Blends, Vol. 3

The third volume of Chris Robinson Brotherhood live material recorded by Betty Cantor-Jackson -- an engineer of epic renown in Grateful Dead circles -- captures highlights from the group's November 2015 tour through Atlanta, Raleigh, and Charleston. The CRB hit the road with new drummer Tony Leone in tow and the group sounds loose-limbed and funky, never hitting hard but luxuriating in its loping rhythms. Much of this suggests the 2016 set Any Way You Love, We Know How You Feel instead of 2014's Phosphorescent Harvest -- the CRB were clearly undergoing an evolution, one that feels propelled by Adam MacDougall's analog synths -- and there's a good deal of charm to the mellow, danceable rhythms, even if they're sometimes a tad too rubbery. Still, that relaxed vibe is charming, and when the CRB lock into a real groove -- as they do on an excellent version of Allen Toussaint's "Get Out of My Life Woman" -- this cooks. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine