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Released on August 5, 2016 via Nuclear Blast Records
I confess, I didn’t quite understand why the Blues Pills debut album was greeted with such high critical acclaim and attention, to consequently proceed to sell over a commendable 100,000 copies. Their retro blues/psychedelic sound is listenable, but fell short of grabbing me enough to get excited about them. So, why have I taken the plunge to review the follow up Lady In Gold? Maybe, hidden subconsciously, I felt they were a band worth keeping an eye and ear open for. This, then, requires the question does the new album justify this second chance?
Led by vocalist Elin Larsson, Zack Anderson on bass, Andre Kvarnstrum, who replaced original drummer Cory Berry in 2014, and whippersnapper Donan Sorriaux, who was only 16 when they formed in 2011, on guitar. Lady In Gold was written and recorded over a two-year period – in-between their busy touring schedule in order to support the said first record – at producer Don Alsterberg’s studio. One assumes it will be released under propelled higher expectations and a more scrutinised spotlight.
Given total artistic freedom by their record company Nuclear Blast Records, will they be trapped like Cheech and Chong in a stoned haze and continue with the success of their retro blues/psychedelic template? The answer is a resounding no! As this is every inch feels like a natural heart and soul evolution. Armed with a smoothly textured production sheen, the album glides into soulful, gospel, groovy hard rocking vibes. In turn, this should further their classic rock radio friendly appeal. Not, of course, does this sound like any premeditated attempt to indeed try and achieve this.
Right from the off the lead and title track’s piano led intro expands into an incredible infectious ditty while Elin introduces us to the ‘dressed in gold’ female grim reaper. While the ending’s gospel inspired backing vocals are indicators to come of this significant swerve into soulful explorations. Best exemplified is the Sly and the Family Stone esque up-tempo ‘Little Boy Preacher’ as words of ‘salvation’, ‘running wild’, ‘liar’, swoon with soulful female background vocals (I was unable to find out who the female singers are who feature on every track). As for Elin, her strong, powerful, soulful, and at times feverish vocals, culminates to take centre stage and reach unrelenting levels on this track and throughout the record.
The two songs which showcase further confident and expansive song writing are ‘I Felt A Change’, an organ driven soulful ballad on regret and forgiveness as Elin pours out “forgive me for what I have done” as it swells into sweeping symphony reminiscent of Black Sabbath’s ‘Changes’. This feeds straight into ‘Gone So Long’ as it builds into a thumping stamping rhythm, an emotional wringing guitar solo, and Elin demanding a saviour from despair, “save me from the empty madness my sorrow brings”.
Shuffle rock groover ‘Bad Talkers’ take us into the latter half of the album, which sees the band change the gears into full throttle up-tempo drive, to deliver a golden nugget collection of what used to be coined quality album tracks, as ‘You Gotta Try’ alleviates from blues rock mid-tempo beginnings to an upbeat defiant, full on, red hot blazing rocker. This continues with the pulsating tempo of ‘Won’t Go Back’ and Elin in regained decisive, and empowered, attitude mode, “I pack my things and slam the door, now I know I’m in control”. ‘Rejection’ keeps the tempo bubbling and break-up theme fervently fiery before they close out with a cover of Tony Joe White’s glorious foreboding country rock/psych anthem ‘Elements And Things’, turning it into a smooth latter day Monster Magnet space rock/psych vibe to end the album with the dramatic switch turned up to eleven.
Even though listening to this as a digital download still sounds like there are two distinctive separate sides to the album, it somehow manages to feel like a finely crafted complete record with side 2 clearly striding for an emotive hot and sweaty styled blistering soulful rock intensity. The seismic shift from the debut’s blues/psych focus to these more soulful leanings is a risk because it may alienate fans who love the debut. However, it does sound like a natural transformation and has indeed converted me into the Blues Pills thumbs up brigade.
