Swedish rock band Blues Pills have released their highly anticipated fourth studio album, ‘Birthday’. The album was written and recorded over just ten days in Sweden’s picturesque countryside and Recordia Studios, produced by renowned songwriter and studio guru Freddy Alexander.
‘Birthday’ features ten tracks, including the lead single “Bad Choices”. This track, described as a “Motown-style stomp,” captures the album’s spirit. Frontwoman Elin Larsson shares, “‘Bad Choices’ is our attitude on this record—f*ck it, enjoy it!” Guitarist Zack Anderson adds, “We don’t feel the pressure we felt before in our career. This album is a lot more free, and this is epitomized in this song.”
The song “Bad Choices” has a unique origin story. Elin explains, “I think Kribba (Kristoffer Schander) was hungover, and we were discussing his bad choices in life…” Elin laughs, “and that’s how it started. Kribba started to then play some bass grooves, and our producer started on the piano, then I got the hook, you know? Bad choices! He may have been hungover, but he had soulful vibes in that bass groove. Basically, it’s a ‘do whatever the fck you want with your life’ song. People are going to have opinions, but you need to say ‘fck it!’”
‘Birthday’ delivers on all fronts, showcasing Blues Pills as a more mature band while maintaining the irrepressible energy that defines their sound. Classic Rock magazine describes it as containing “genuinely jaw-dropping moments.” The album reflects a band no longer feeling the pressures or restrictions they felt as a younger act. It highlights their ability to craft compelling new sounds without losing the explosive formula that launched their career.
“Our style of music is able to cross boundaries a little bit,” says co-writer and guitarist Zack Anderson. “Within a very short 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.”
Elin Larsson reveals a personal note about the album’s creation: “During the recordings of the album, I discovered I was pregnant,” she says. “It wasn’t planned, so I was a bit overwhelmed, but it actually made it easier for me to write for this album.” Elin sees her journey as both an artist and a mother as something she wants her son Loui to be part of: “I want my son Loui to be on that journey with me.”
The band’s feminist stance has naturally grown, fueled by the experiences of being a female-fronted rock band. “A lot of the years I’ve been taking shit for being a woman in rock ‘n’ roll,” Elin shares. “For everyone in the band, it’s a constant driver.”
Majestically featuring her pregnant body in the photoshoot for Birthday, Elin Larsson has embraced her power and sees herself as an inspiration for other mothers and artists. “I need to do this for myself and for other mothers so they don’t abandon their own passions after becoming mums,” she shares. “It’s going to take time to combine the two worlds I love, but I can only think it will do my son Loui good to experience other cultures, countries, and music.”
Blues Pills will be hitting the road this fall for their Birthday tour, bringing their dynamic sound to fans across Europe.
Birthday Tour Dates:
- August 2, 2024: Wacken Open Air, Wacken, Germany
- October 4, 2024: Hamburg, Germany – Gruenspan
- October 5, 2024: Cologne, Germany – Luxor
- October 6, 2024: Brussels, Belgium – Botanique – Museum
- October 8, 2024: Nottingham, UK – Rescue Rooms
- October 9, 2024: Glasgow, UK – Garage
- October 11, 2024: London, UK – Lafayette
- October 12, 2024: Manchester, UK – Band On The Wall
- October 13, 2024: Dublin, Ireland – Opium
- October 15, 2024: Bristol, UK – Thekla
- October 16, 2024: Paris, France – Maroquinerie
- October 18, 2024: Frankfurt, Germany – Das Bett
- October 19, 2024: Karlsruhe, Germany – Substage
- October 20, 2024: Utrecht, Netherlands – Tivoli Vredenburg
Blues Pills will continue their tour through November and December, performing in cities such as Helsinki, Stockholm, Oslo, and Berlin, with their final show on December 14, 2024, in Lyon, France.
