Holy Moly!

by Blues Pills

Overview

Blues Pills returned to public view with late-winter single "Proud Woman," penned by powerhouse vocalist Elin Larsson as a kick-off to their third studio album, Holy Moly! Issued to coincide with International Women's Day, it's an anthem of empowerment delivered with unruly fervor and fire-breathing energy. More rootsy than anything on 2016's neo-psych breakthrough Lady in Gold, the track signified a back-to-basics approach, one that Blues Pills engages through most of these 11 tracks. When guitarist Dorian Sorriaux amiably left the band in 2018, founder/bassist Zack Anderson moved over into his role and it made sense to reconsider their roots. They hired bassist Andre Kvarnstroem as drummer Kristoffer Schander's rhythm section partner. Holy Moly! was cut at the band's countryside recording studio in Naerke, Sweden with Larsson, Anderson, and Kvarnstroem all co-producing. The set was mixed by veteran engineer Andrew Scheps. More than previous studio outings, Holy Moly! comes closest to resembling Blues Pills' live attack. It is greasy, loose, and immediate; it's fiery and tuneful, blazing with searing guitar solos, thudding kick drums, and filthy bass throb. There is a profoundly musical finesse offered here that comes from working stages large and small. "Low Road" is a furious exercise in blues-rock, with Anderson's potent riff delivered by an overdriven wah-wah pedal. Larsson soars above the low-end power of the rhythm section. After an irritating intro of radio-dial static, Schander and Anderson power the molten flow surrounding Larsson in "Rhythm of the Blood." Its hooky refrain re-centers the riff as the tempo rages. "Kiss My Past Goodbye" weds sludgy blues-rock atop a funky refrain, with Larsson delivering her most soulful wail on the set as Schander's rolling snare channels the attack of Cheap Trick's Bun E. Carlos. "Wishin I'd Known" is a sensual yet sad power ballad that intersects the best moments from Peter Green's "Albatross," Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released," and Etta James' "I'd Rather Go Blind." Anderson's bluesy picking fills, flows, and curls alongside Larsson's sweet, multi-tracked chorale refrain. "Bye Bye Birdie" commences as a slow-simmering electric blues. It cracks wide open after the bridge, roaring with crunchy power riffs and Larsson's high-pitched wail that rises above the maelstrom as Schander lays out his best John Bonham on the kit. The sense of abjection in "Song from a Mourning Dove" commences with fingerpicked guitars and brushed cymbals. But Anderson ups the ante by channeling Pink Floyd in the bridge and Robin Trower in his labyrinthine solo; in the aftermath, the band swells and it becomes a swaggering soul-blues with Larsson committing herself totally. Holy Moly! isn't perfect; its meld of songs could have been sequenced better -- the second half is far too weighted to favor ballads. So much so, in fact, that the poignant closer, "Longest Lasting Friend," is almost lost in the shuffle despite its arresting quality. That's a small complaint, however, Holy Moly! is strong, relentlessly creative, and restlessly self-assured in its aspirations. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	08/21/2020
Label:	Nuclear Blast
UPC:	0727361549114
Rank:	54163

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Blues Pills   Primary Artist
Tino Fjeldli   Violin,Violin
Fredrik Hulthe   Viola
Zack Anderson   Bass,Guitar
Elin Larsson   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Andre Kvarnstroem   Drums,Vocals (Background)
Jesper Lindell   Vocals (Background)
Rajmund Follmann   Cello
Erik Harrstrom   Piano,Strings
Kristoffer Schander   Bass
Tom Eriksson   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Andrew Scheps   Mixing
Nicholaus Arson   Creative Assistance
Michael Altman   Logo
Johan Gustafsson   Assistant Engineer
Patric Ullaeus   Photography
Brian Lucey   Mastering
Zack Anderson   Composer,Engineer,Lyricist,Producer,Group Member
Blues Pills   Composer
Elin Larsson   Arranger,Composer,Lyricist,Producer,Group Member,Vocal Arrangement
Andre Kvarnstroem   Producer,Group Member
Martin Jacobson   Assistant Engineer
Rajmund Follmann   Arranger
Kristoffer Schander   Group Member
Benjamin Goss   Photography
Roya Sarvestani   Poetry,Creative Director
Daria Hlazatova   Cover Art