Blues Pills – Devil Man
Release Date:
Highlights – Entire EP
Swedish psychedelic rockers Blues Pills is one of those bands that won me over the minute I heard them. I actually discovered Blues Pills by accident. I was just perusing around on Kadavar’s Facebook page one day and saw some photos of them with this “great band called Blues Pills.” Well, being that Kadavar is one of my favorite bands, if they thought this band was great than I just had to give them a listen. I tracked down their independently released “Bliss” EP and that right there is the best way to describe their sound. It was indeed pure bliss but this boy needed more than four songs.
Well, like anything in life, if you wish for it hard enough and wait patiently, good things will come your way. When I heard that Blues Pills had been signed to Nuclear Blast and were releasing another 4 song EP, I literally did a little happy dance at my desk. The first thing I was taken aback by was the that EP was called Devil Man. This meant that the song “Devil Man” (which was also on their previous Bliss EP) would be making an appearance on this EP. The minute Elin Larsson’s possessed like shriek acapella opening for the song “Devil Man” filled my ears it sent a chill straight up my spine and into my head causing me to close my eyes and nod my head while sporting a shit eating grin of approval.
“The River” has Blues Pills showing just how dynamic and versatile they can be as a band. Coming straight off of a face melting groove rocker like “Devil Man”, Blues Pills followed with a slow, ambient mood fest that was as slow and thick as molasses or even thick and humid like midnight summer air of New Orleans. Just don’t get too comfortable there because the band kicks it up a notch with some sweet groove oriented classic rock “Time is Now” that is very reminiscent of something I could hear Cream doing. While it’s impossible to deny the fact that Elin Larsson is without a doubt one of the greatest hard rock vocalists I have heard in years, let’s not leave out the fact that it’s the band as a whole that lays down the foundation that allows her to do what it is she does so well. The rhythm section of Cory Berry and Zack Anderson lock in tight together creating a rich, thick groove that allows guitarist Dorian Sorriaux to do some seriously inspired, soulful, subtle yet face melting guitar work.
Blues Pills is a prime example of a band doing it right. Instead of picking a particular artist and emulating their sound, Blues Pills has chosen to borrow just a hair from each of their classic, roots oriented favorites and combine them into a potion that has brought forth a sound that is all their own. Blues Pills sound is comfortably familiar yet distinct and all their own at the same time. Its timeless music preserved by a young band of people who wise and inspired beyond their years. Blues Pills knows what good music is. They love good music, they play good music and they do it full of fire, passion, and dynamic energy. From the subtle comforts of a smooth acid trip to the floor stomping intensity of a whiskey soaked evening, Blues Pills covers all the bases. Oh yeah, and they do it with only four fucking songs. Blues Pills does more with four songs than most bands do with 12 or 13 songs. If this is the case, I’m already dying for a full-fledged release.
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