The world of Psychedelic Rock has enjoyed a population resurgence over the past couple of years, with all manner of newcomers coating their grooves in a warm, oscillating fuzz. In such a world it helps to gain patronage from a respected name and French sunshine crew Komodor have done just that: debut mini-album Komodor (Soulseller Records) carrying contributions and production work from Swedish Psych rulers Blues Pills.Continue reading
Formed in 2011, Blues Pills are blues based rockers with a love of all things psychedelic. They released their eponymous début album in 2014, and it is an impressive one at that. It’s mix of 60s blues and psychedelia with a 70s rock outlook complete with raw and authentic production works very well. They are back with their second album Lady in Gold (Nuclear Blast) and producer Don Alsterberg has returned to man the desk. Marijke Koger-Dunham has also been lured back to create another psychedelic, far out album sleeve.
It continues the bluesy psychedelic vibe of their début but it has been beefed up by bigger, more polished production. It is melodious and very catchy rock, more multi layered but with the same Hendrix inspired 60s and 70s spirit running through it’s veins. The title track is a gem, with an infectious melody and a thrumming piano backbone – a song about a female grim reaper has no right being this upbeat! ‘Little Boy Preacher’ and ‘Bad Talkers’ are some more great examples of this record’s knack for multi-layered earworms. They are delightfully snappy foot tappers, with Elin Larsson’s vocals supported by choir like backing singers throughout. Their most adventurous step and the biggest surprise is the heartfelt ‘I Felt a Change’, a beautifully mournful track led solely by mellow keys and emotive strings.
The second half of the record holds true to the heady blues and dirty early ZZ Top-esque groove of their debut, with the trio ‘You Gotta Try’, ‘Won’t Go Back’ and ‘Rejection’ snugly fitting in side by side. The latter song is the rockiest moment here, an energetic track propelled forward by the thrusting guitar work of Dorrian Sorriaux. Similar to their self titled début, Lady in Gold has a cover version. The first one was Chubby Checker’s ‘Gypsy’, this time Tony Joe White’s ‘Elements and Things’ gets the Blues Pills treatment. It is a rocker, which ultimately stays faithful to the original, ending with an oddly captivating organ blast.
8.0/10
THOMAS THROWER
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Once in a while a record comes along that knocks you sideways. Once in a while a record comes along that isn’t just about flailing around like dying fish, furiously howling at the injustice of having to tidy your bedroom once in a while. Once in a while a record comes along that reaffirms your faith in the power of exemplary musicianship allied to great songs.
Readers, here is one of those records.
Blues Pills’ self-titled debut album arrives with such self-confidence and chutzpah that you could be forgiven that they had been ploughing this particular furrow of blues rock for decades and were at the peak of their career rather than at the start. Following two EPs released on Kadavar Records (in 2012 and 2013, respectively), a move to Nuclear Blast has seen the band deliver this first full length offering. And what an offering! Blues Pills is not so much the sound of a band stepping up to the plate, it is the sound of a band knocking it out of the proverbial park.
Blues Pills is a brilliant and, at times, sensational record. Right from the off with the throat- grabbing, blues-soaked power of ‘High Class Woman’ through the mellow, folk inspired ‘River’ to the heritage cap-doffin cover of ‘Gypsy’ and the rich, haunting coda of ‘Little Sun’, this is a record with depth and breadth, soul and humanity. Clearly a band in love with Cream and Jimi Hendrix, there is also more than a spoonful of lovin’ here for early Fleetwood Mac both in compositional style and lyrical prowess.
Lead vocalist Elin Larsson has done a terrific job here, simultaneously sounding haunted, passionate and heartfelt. However, all of the band turn in stellar performances, the thumping, soul packed bass-lines of Zack Anderson , the mellifluous drumming of Cory Berry or the patchouli oil soaked guitar licking of Dorian Sorriaux all add up to a heady brew that intoxicates as much as it invigorates.
What truly impresses though is that Blues Pills is more than the sum of its considerable parts. The band have succeeded in creating a record that you can easily and willingly immerse yourself in, a record that understands and curates its heritage and lineage but is fresh, contemporary and massively memorable.
This is the record that you’ll be recommending to your friends for months to come.
9.0/10.0
MAT DAVIES