There is something that is just satisfying about sitting and listening to an album filled with slightly dirty guitars rocking out some twelve bar blues. The feel and sway of blues rock done well is captivating and soothing and this is something that Little Andrew does well. Bloodrush is such a great showcase of blues rock…that it can be somewhat mentally jarring when you realize that this is from a band that hails from Norway.
For me, it didn’t take too long to get hooked on this album. The first few tracks were good solid tunes with blues riffs that knew when to back off and knew when to shine. The fourth song, was when Little Andrew really rolled up the shirt sleeves and got to work though. Secret Love opens with a driving groove that reminds me of Golden Earring’s Radar Love. This is the type of song that forces your foot down on the gas pedal. Following this you have Fighting For A Living, which is a bit of a slower song that pulls off some guitar breaks that would make Stevie Ray Vaughn proud.
One of the highlights of the album is She’s So Fine. Just try to listen to this song and not sing along with it by the end. You can’t. It isn’t possible. And here, added to the established guitars and drums of Bloodrush, we are exposed to some great piano that is threatening to steal the spotlight. This track feels like a well deserved climax to the album, nestled in right before the final song.
What truly makes the album shine, is the quick and dirty feel to it. When you listen to Bloodrush you can almost imagine that you are in a small barroom with Little Andrew as they light up the stage in front of you. The album has a raunchy tone to it that almost sneers at highly polished studio works. Given the genre that they are playing in…it really works to their benefit.
If I have any complaints about this album, it is that I’m left wanting more. Ten tracks (one of which is only a 17 second intro) only adds up to about half an hour worth of music. With Little Andrew, that just doesn’t feel like nearly enough.
