Blues Pills

In the annals of 21st century rock music there are few bands so gleefully out of step with the fickle and ever-changing constraints of fashion than Blues Pills. Theirs is a pyrotechnic combination of thrilling live shows and reliably brilliant releases, and in defiance of expectation they’ve been received with open arms by countless fans of their decidedly analog but modern approach to the timeless songcraft of yesteryear. But if there were ever doubts about whether there was a place in the wider musical pantheon for these torch-bearers for keeping it real both in and outside of the studio, Blues Pills have obliterated them with commanding musicianship and a penchant for writing harpoon-sized hooks, proving time and time again that among rock fans there nothing more important than the quality of the songs themselves. It has now been nearly ten years since the stalwart Swedes stormed the scene with their blues-laden and soulful approach to rock and roll and they’ve shown no signs of slowing down. But if the swagger and fist-in-the-sir gusto of their 2014 self- titled debut worked as a bold statement of intent, it’s the consistency of their output – 2016’s rapturously-received Lady In Gold and 2020’s equally beloved Holy Moly! – that’s kept them in the frame, but now they’re ready to push the bar even further with their fourth studio release.

They’ve named it Birthday, and as singer Elin Larsson explains, the band’s time in the studio saw the birth of more than just a record. “During the recordings of the album I discovered I was pregnant,” she says. “It wasn’t planned so I was a bit overwhelmed and it changed a lot but it actually made it easier for me to write for this album. With all the hormones I was way more emotional than usual, and I wanted to continue with my life even though I’m bringing a kid into the world. 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.” Elin explains that she was still recording and working on the final song in the studio at full term – on the very week she was due. As she posted on Instagram showing her bump, ‘I’m not only baking a new record, I’m baking something else too,’ and her experience of motherhood is something she’s keen to keep front and center. “I was doing double the work,” she says. “It’s hard being pregnant and still working like we had been. It’s incredible how the female body works, creating a life and carrying it for nine months. That’s a powerful statement and I need to figure out how to combine the two worlds: being a mom and being an artist. It's important for me because Blues Pills is my baby too! It’s not common for rock bands to have a female vocalist in the first place, but pregnant? I felt beautiful and more powerful because I had two hearts and two of everything.” Written and recorded in Sweden’s idyllic rural countryside as well as Recordia studios, Birthday took just 10 days to record. Produced by renowned songwriter and studio guru Freddy Alexander who’s worked with artists as diverse as The Chainsmokers and the Veronicas, there’s an irrepressible energy and live-feel to Blues Pills’ that bespeaks a confidence in their ability to craft new compelling sounds without tampering with the explosive formula that got them their start – a sound that’s as eclectic as it is heavy as it is fun, and their continuity is testament to their determination to progress, mature, and evolve their sound within a fickle industry. Slutet på sida 1.
Sida 2. “Our style of music is able to cross boundaries a little bit,” says co-writer and guitarist Zack Anderson. “In a very short space of time we went from being a band that no-one had heard of to playing giant festivals and bigger shows than we could have imagined. We were quite young so that came with a lot of pressure. Now that we're older it’s easier to see that you should just do music for yourself. And it’s a blessing that we grew up in a time before all the technology totally took off. When we first started – when we recorded our first songs – it was with one of those Tascam cassette recorders – so you couldn't fix anything. So the only way to do it was to actually be able to perform the thing for real. That's where we started off from. I guess that set the tone for the rest of our career.” And, as Eilin explains, the creation of Birthday wasn’t just an affirmation of Blues Pills’ exceptional talents on and off the stage. It was a bonding experience for them as well. “I felt all the love for my bandmates that they were so supportive to me,” she 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.”