I'll be honest with you, when I sampled Mudcrutch's album on the band's site last night I was not impressed. Maybe you just can't get it in short snippets, maybe that's why call-out research is f*cked, maybe that's why the band should be streaming THE WHOLE DAMN ALBUM!

Last night, it was not easy to steal the whole damn album online. The single, no problem. The rest of the record...

But this morning, coinciding with the official release of the record, the tunes started to appear. I got "Crystal River."

That's the one I wanted to hear... The extended jam, that was done in ONE TAKE!

Maybe the old bluesmeisters got it in one take, but no one shooting for the stars in the music industry has done this since it was possible to comp vocals into sterility DECADES AGO!

I won't say "Crystal River" is "The End," even "Crystal Ship." Hell, it's not even "Rooster." But it's positively MAGICAL! It's completely the way it used to be, but it's brand new.

It wasn't about how many singles your album had, but how fulfilling the listening experience was. The musicians stretched out, they played, and if they and their composition were good, you were taken along for the ride.

"Crystal River" sneaks up on you. It doesn't bang you over the head, it's not in your face, it's dreamily melodic... Then, after a suddenly dramatic change, Petty's singing from a higher altitude, like he's ascended to the top of the mountain and can see new things, that you want to know about.

Then the piano player gives his vision, Benmont sees what Tom sees. It's like the second half of "Layla" slowed down, not a rip-off, but from the same canon. Then, the lead guitar starts meandering, slowly demanding your attention as the player flies overhead. And it's at this point that you suddenly become conscious, just when the music has made you unconscious...THIS IS DAMN GOOD!

They're breaking down, the squeaky lead is dominating, yet not banging you over the head.

Then the piano comes back in. It's like not having planned in advance, they're going on feel, the instruments are in sync. There's fuzztone, the drums fill the empty spaces, drive the tune, but don't dominate.

This is Allman Brothers territory. This is akin to the old jazz masters, whose live albums have been treasured through the ages.

Just when you think the number's fading out, it continues, just like life.

"Crystal River" could single-handedly bring back underground FM radio. It proves that subtlety can be just as powerful as...MELISMA! In an era where everybody overdoes it, Mudcrutch appears to be playing solely for themselves and we're DYING TO GET INSIDE!

Remember when you wanted to hear the new band, when you got tickets to the club, when you didn't want to be left out. Listening to "Crystal River" makes you want to go to the gig.

Whew!

Take San Francisco in the sixties. And London too. Bake it into wax that some southern boys spun ad infinitum down in FLA... Set them free DECADES later and you get this.

Nothing I've written has done justice to "Crystal River." Because it's barely there. It's like someone's captured air. The essence of life. Something you don't notice until you focus on it. And then realize it's basic and necessary, positively FULFILLING!

WB and Petty... PUT THIS UP ON THE WEBSITE RIGHT NOW! STREAM IT IN ITS TOTALITY IN QUALITY! LET EVERYBODY INTO THE PARTY! THIS IS THE TRACK! THIS IS WHAT IT'S ABOUT!!