Bands that connect with fans on a primal and intimate level are very few and far between, but when they do appear they should be celebrated, their albums instantly added to the essential category of the heavy rock canon.
Blues Pills are one of those bands, and their glorious self-titled debut – much anticipated following their EPs of last year – is one of those albums. Its analogue psych-blues glow and warmth is a wonder to behold, with not a duff track in earshot. Indeed the high quality of the material is such that it’s nigh on impossible to pick individual highlights, though the likes of Ain’t No Change, Devil Man and Astralplane are kinda extra special.
The band’s two chief strengths – vocalist Elin Larsson and guitar prodigy Dorian Sorriaux – sit prominently in the mix, Larsson’s powerful, sensual voice meshing perfectly with Sorriaux’s lyrically soulful playing. Ultimately, though, the old adage of the components adding up to a far greater whole applies, easily making Blues Pills one of the most exciting album releases of the year so far.
