Review | Blues Pills – Birthday

Throwdown Entertainment / BMG

The psychedelic blues rock sound of Blues Pills is one of modern day’s benchmark festival sounds rocking the fields. Hailed in Europe the band is critically acclaimed for their staggering and raw live performances and relentless touring stints. Formed in the Midwest in late 2011 Zack Anderson and Elin Larsson, they have established their fame, upgrading their presence. With `Birthday’ the band paws deep into the classic energetic segments of their catalogue, while Elin injects her experience of balancing pregnancy and her creativity as a songwriter. The outcome encompasses the journey of the band’s artistic thrive, while serving as an empowerment to women navigating life.

ROCK-SOLID GROOVE AND RAW SOUL

`Birthday’ is an album combusting with energy, displaying the band’s raw power performing onstage, well captured by the organic grounded production. It channels its vibration into the listener instantly and resonates on a variety of levels.

The interaction of singer Elin Larsson and main songwriter and guitarist Zack Anderson is pristine and pitches the intensity of their hailed albums. The energetic offload is emphasized by the organics of the band’s interplay. The rock-solid groove provided by drummer André Kvarnström and bass player Kristoffer Schander, is shaking the foundations with impressive swagger. It’s bluesy timings and wailing emotion shrugs against the impressive melodies holding up firmly. In line with the raw soul and power Blues Pills generate honesty and frailty in Elin’s emotive laden vocals, traversing soul stirring moments.

Perfect example was the album’s self-titled single release with Elin stirring up the atmosphere atop the brisk drum hits and picking guitar lick in the opening. Gradually building its prowess the song is elevated by the raw interplay the bass is rounded growling spotlighting the phrased ‘scatty’ melody lines with Larsson belting out with towering power. It is alive, complete with a jam-feel instrumental piece.

JOPLIN MEETS WINEHOUSE

Falling in line tracks like the ravishing ,,Don’t You Love It” with its seventy’s soundtrack melodies, ,,Piggyback Rides” channels different vibes with feelgood lyrics glued onto the roaring bass licks and biting guitar licks. More raunchy rocking the creepy stroller ,,Shadows” fuses ominous grit with roaring melancholic vocals erupting with swagger. A stunner!

A ,,Little Green Bag”-vibe is present on ,,Bad Choices” before transcending with strutting fire and Joplin meets Winehouse vocal execution of Larsson. Guitars emulate wonderful melodics with the drum and bass kicking up soulful gritty blues strut. Richly layered without going all in.

Absolutely touching is the heart pouring ,,Top of the Sky”. Gripping and insanely nesting the song unites colors of the decades. Who would have thought a band being able to blend Adele signature vocals with Blues Pills grounding organics. Impressive to hear Elin on top of her game. Channelling this much emotion and vocal radiance, while drawing from entirely different registers. Followed by ,,Like a Drug”, the song pitches the right atmosphere to build upon. More psychedelic, it bends the vocals while maintaining to pitch roaring accolades. The soulful choirs add to the luster and retain the connective slower pace of the songs. 

LOUD MOUTHED LYRICISM

In the same vein ,,Holding Me Back” is opened before igniting with loud mouthed lyricism displaying Elin’s empowering message, fist raised and determined, staying on track as a parent and artist exploring her career and life path simultaneously. The bass ploughs deep and guitars echo with reverb, while the song switches back and forth telling the story of stride. 

,,Somebody Better” is another slower paced rocker full of soul and agony. Colorful instrumentation constructed around the powerful vocal performance and ditto melody line; the song is one of the best of the Blues Pills legacy. Same can be said for the touching ,,I don’t wanna get Back on that Horse Again”, the piano pulled ballad with rouching soul choirs and vocal interplay. Wailing and weeping guitars remote, acoustic guitars gripping into the bass line, the song is painted with subtle emotions. Low in the mix, the organ injects the right texture. Scorching guitar solo, brisk and unloading ‘tons of tears’, it underlines the vocal intensity. The closing ,,What has this Life done to You” rounds up the album in style.

BLUES PILLS – THE CONCLUSION

`Birthday’ displays the musical passion more than anything, making it one of their most appealing records (to me). It balances their live energy with intricate musicality. The lyrical depth is very lucent and easily applied to personal experiences, while Elin’s vocal delivery is powerful. Her charisma radiates and she doesn’t scare away from frailty belting out deep emotions. 

`Birthday’ is an album you need to experience before you listen in deeper. It will grow to be a cornerstone for their discography, I’m convinced.

Release date: 2 August 2024