Blues Pills – Birthday, A Gift Of Timeless Music To Us All

I have not done an album review in a while. I have been wonderfully buried in the editing/formatting stages of my book, Sonic Seducer: Lust For Life With Our Heaviest Moments, Memories, and Magic of Rock and Roll. I am not finished, but I was inspired to take time out and write a review for the brand new Blues Pills album Birthday.

Blues Pills – Birthday (Pollinate Music)

Release Date: Out Now

Words: Sunil Singh

Birthday is the only thing I listened to today, and I am now on my fourth listen. Spoiler alert: This is guaranteed to be in my top five albums for 2024.

Sure, the band’s roots and general vibe put them in the stoner/desert category, with more learning towards ’60s garage sensibilities. But this album is ridiculously infectious, drenched in Elin Larsson’s soulful vocals and the wonderfully evolving musicianship of the band members. 

If you loved the song California, from Holy Moly, which came out four years ago, you will absolutely be digging the feral and free attitude that is the lifeblood of this album. In fact, this is the album you want to be listening to on a convertible drive down California’s famous coastal Highway 1. Your destination is a sunset beach party in Venice.

While there is plenty of melodic buoyancy in this album, there are also some gut-wrenching songs that hint at some tough personal experiences that are now in the rear view mirror. The earthiness and earnestness of the whole collection of songs is a masterclass of songwriting.

Birthday was written and recorded over ten days in Sweden’s idyllic rural countryside as well as Recordia studios. During the recordings of the album, I discovered I was pregnant,” Elin Larsson said. “It wasn’t planned so I was a bit overwhelmed. But it actually made it easier for me to write for this album. It should be natural to be both a mother and an artist, and I want my son Loui to be on that journey with me.”

The creation of Birthday was a bonding experience for Blues Pills. “I felt all the love for my bandmates, that they were so supportive to me,” Elin

says. “Everyone was like, ‘we’re so happy, we will figure it out.’ So, we became even closer as band members and friends. I’m grateful for that.”

Let’s take a closer look at each song on Birthday.

Birthday

Classic, upbeat Blues Pills that grooves effortlessly with the pacing of Larsson’s vocals. It is unapologetic heavy pop that contains the first of many “fucks” on this album. A masterstroke to pair honest profanity with heavy melodies. “The first verse of the song is written from the perspective of the aggressor,” Elin says. “But this is not a song to feel like a victim to. This is a shit-kicker of a tune with a fuck you attitude to get wild to.”

The song tells the tale of an incident that took place on tour in Mexico on Elin’s birthday. She invited the whole band and crew out to celebrate her birthday, but things turned sour when a waiter decided to ruin her birthday. “I don’t know what the fuck this guy was thinking or doing,” Elin says, “but he took liberties and crossed personal boundaries acting in a very disrespectful way.”

Don’t You Love It

How do you follow up a song with high energy? You crank up the energy another notch or two. The opening beats sound like there is some surfing to be done, and very quickly after, the song just settles into an almost Go-Go’s beat. There is a nice nod to the ’60s garage/psych scene with the line “Take me to the 13th-floor elevator.”

“You’ve gotta let that shit go,” Elin says of the song. “When life is hard, but you let things go and find the positives. Don’t take life so seriously. Just go for the ride and let loose.”

Bad Choices

Great song title that has the perfect attitude to back up the idea that “bad choices” are simply a part of life. That is, of course, punctuated by Larsson’s vocals, who seems to give zero fucks to those decisions. Some of the signature sweet guitar work plays nicely in the background here.

Top Of The Sky

This song will just pull on your heart. It feels like it originated in a time period long gone, with the painful nostalgia just adding to the sweet sadness of this song. In fact, it feels at times as though this could be a song you could be slow-dancing to in the late ’50s. However, the chemistry and talent of the band allows for rapid changing of gears, making this song feel wonderfully contemporary as well.

“Top Of The Sky is actually about going anywhere and doing anything to seek attention on the internet,” guitarist Zack Anderson said. “I was inspired by this documentary about an influencer in China who climbs buildings. He climbed a skyscraper and fell and died while streaming. It made me reflect on the age we live in where people are chasing attention and likes on social media, being willing to climb so high to try to find connection and approval online.”

Like A Drug

A really nice change of pace here. Larsson’s vocals just absolutely shine here. It is a zone of proximal love, bluesy and soulful, all the while sounding urgent for 2024. The band instrumentals are in perfect harmony with the exquisite vocal performance here. Neither understated nor overwhelming. A highlight for sure on an album that seems littered with them.

Piggyback Ride

Who puts the word piggyback in a song title these days? Right! That automatically gives the song honesty and a playful fun factor. While the majority of the song has a pop feel, the final moments feel as if a band like ’90s Luscious Jackson was feeling a tad industrial. 

Holding Me Back

One of the best uses of “fuck” in a song. It is casual but confident, taking an aggressive pop arrangement and giving it a more punk edge. Remember, folks. Punk is an attitude. And in this song, Elin Larsson is one sexy, strong punk–who is a damn proud woman!

Somebody Better

More profanity. More blues. More soul. My favourite song on the album. The confidence of Larsson’s voice seems to be peaking here. When her vocals are isolated towards the end and then merged with the build-up of the band, fuck it does not get any better. That outro will just punch you in the heart in the best way possible.

Shadows

A more quirky song structure here, which gives the album the right amount of variety without drastically shifting the theme of joyriding in an open-top vehicle with the ocean air not too far away. Assertive and bouncy.

I Don’t Want To Get Back On That Horse Again

Piano opening and backing vocals frame Larsson’s vocals with gentle ache and melancholy. There is nothing rushed here. The idea of not going back is a message that needs to be stretched out by patience of delivery and passion of experience. Once again, the bluesy guitars merge effortlessly with the spotlight vocals. 

What Has This Life Done To You

You just do not want this album to end. But end it must. One final croon from this horribly underrated Swedish siren. That car you were driving in is now parked. You are walking on the beach, barefoot, shoes in hand. It is dusk. You take a long, hard look at your surroundings. You crack a small smile to yourself. That is the personality of this song that walks you out.

Blues Pills – Birthday Is Bliss

Bliss. That’s not a word we use a lot to describe things, let alone music. But this diamond of an album from Blues Pills needs that description. This is an album that you will want to play many times. It’s a treasure chest of songs that celebrates life, friendship, and the moments–good and bad–that are intertwined between them.

[add_eventon_list number_of_months=”1″ fixed_month=”10″ fixed_year=”2024″ event_organizer=”3808,”]

Blues Pills, known for the strength of their powerful live show, have invited us all to join their European headline tour – Happy Fucking Birthday. “There’s been a natural progression with us levelling up our stage presence,” Zack Anderson says. “Elin is fearless now, jumping around, powerstances, crowdsurfing, full of fire.”

“We are beyond excited to embark on our Happy F*cking Birthday Tour,” Elin says. “This tour is not just about celebrating our shared love for music. It’s about celebrating our fans, our journey, and the incredible experiences we’ve had along the way.

“We can’t wait to hit the stage with our new album, Birthday, and share the music with our fans across Europe.”

Tour tickets are available from here.

Canadian eclectic rock ‘n’ roll band Daniel Romano’s Outfit will be supporting.

The post Blues Pills – Birthday, A Gift Of Timeless Music To Us All first appeared on MetalTalk - Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.