Album Review: Blues Pills – Blues Pills

Blues Pills
Release Date: August 5, 2014
Nuclear Blast Records

Since first stumbling upon them in 2013 (thanks to Kadavar), Blues Pills has been a band that I just couldn’t keep my eyes and ears off of. Their 2012 EP Bliss totally wet the pallet and their 2013 EP Devil Man took me completely over the edge of fandom. Everything about this band was perfect to me. The “sober Janis Joplin fronting Cream and Black Sabbath” sound was something that hit a huge chord with me but I needed more. Two 4 song EPs just weren’t cutting it so you can only imagine my surprise when Blues Pills announced that they’d be releasing their full length debut this year. Every now and then a band puts out a debut album and knocks it out of the park. Blues Pills did just that to my delight. Matter of fact, this album is so good it makes me wonder just what else these kids have up their sleeve for a follow up to this one. I mean, this one is going to be really hard to follow but let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.

I found myself a bit nervous going into this album. Why was I nervous? Well, I’m glad you asked. I was nervous because I could only hope that all those elements that I loved about this band would be intact and from the first notes of “High Class Woman” I knew that I didn’t have a thing to worry about. “Aint No Change” was also another song that I had never heard before that totally had me floored with their sonic groove. The biggest surprise for me came in the form of “Jupiter” which is the song “Bliss” with a brand new facelift (new lyrics). “Bliss” was originally sung in Swedish so I’m not sure if the lyrics are the same and just translated or if the song got a whole new overhaul. Regardless, this song kicks so much ass that I literally kicked my chair out from under myself and grooved the hell out in my room scaring the shit out of my dog. “The River” also got a full on facelift with some new additional lyrics. I love it so much but I got so used to hearing the old version of that song that now I have to relearn it!

Blues Pills have delivered a flawless debut album that totally shows just what this band is capable of. Listening to this album it still blows my mind that this is a band’s debut. For such a young band to sound like they’ve been doing this for 20 years just kills me and I love every second of it. It’s so hard to pick a highlight from this album because in my opinion the album as a whole is a sonic rollercoaster for the senses. This is the kind of album that both commands and demands your attention. Blues Pills has joined the ranks of bands such as Captain Beyond and Pink Floyd in that they have easily created one of my all-time favorite listening experiences. Just put those headphones on, take a load off, and let Blues Pills carry you off to wherever it is they’re taking you. Once that last chord of “Little Sun” fades out, I guarantee that you’ll want another ride.

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