I’ll be honest. Generally, I hate writing album reviews. I mean, it’s always kind of awkward for me to try and put to words how a particular album makes me feel. Album reviews always seem to come across as someone trying to butter up a band and stroking that ego. Either that or dragging the band’s album through the mud while calling it a heaping pile of shit. Writing a review of an album often is a grueling task, but if the album is excellent, the review seems to write itself, as is the case with Mountain of Sugar, the latest album by Swedish psych/blues rockers Heavy Feather.
Heavy Feather’s debut album Debris and Rubble was a favorite release of mine, so like with any band, I’m always a bit nervous about how they will follow that one up? Heavy Feather had a lot riding on them. Would they top the debut? Would they come close to touching it? It was a tense moment for me, but I was so excited to hear what was in store.
“30 Days” kicks off the album, and this was such a perfect move. Right out of the gates, this song is a riff-tastic rock n’ blues blast from the past with a modern touch. Lead vocalist Lisa Lystam breaks through with her voice that, to me, has become such a distinct, strong blues voice. The song is high energy, and right away, I was excited, and I couldn’t wait to see what else was to come.
“Bright in My Mind” kicks in with a deep, dark bass guitar/drum groove, which starts off like trafficking down a runway only to take off into the blue. The song bounces back and forth between the sparse intro groove and the intense, hard-hitting chorus. This is a great song, and to be honest, it sounds like something Blues Pills was trying to attempt but never entirely delivered.
“Mountain of Sugar” is a hard-hitting head-nodder, making me do that white boy bottom lip bite thing. The music and vocals are so gnarly and full of attitude. It’s hard not to recognize that Lystam’s vocals and lyrics are engaging and, at times, comes across as a femme fatale black widow of sorts. I felt like she was singing directly to me, which at times, I found intimidating. That’s a pretty powerful thing to pull off musically, and Lystam pulls it off with ease.
Lystam & Co. bring it down with “Let it Shine,” which proved to be my favorite song from this collection. Halfway into the album, it was nice to take a breather from all of the high energy, in your face blues rock but it is the album closer “Asking in Need” that was the showstopper for me. This song hit me where it counts, and it was a song that got a few repeat listens. “Asking in Need” could have been one of the best Black Crowes songs never written by the Black Crowes. Its gospel-like vibe and its floating music and vocals are the perfect ending to a roller coaster ride of an album.
Heavy Feather’s Mountain of Sugar is a powerhouse, versatile collection of infectious blues-rock explosions. Mountain of Sugar is a good time listen. In these fucked up times where we can’t congregate and rage with friends, Mountain of Sugar is the kind of album that is the perfect soundtrack for partying by yourself. Crack a beer, light up a joint, put on Mountain of Sugar, and dance around your room without any care or concern.
Mountain of Sugar will be released Spring of 2021 but for now, dig on the single/video for the outstanding “Bright in My Mind.”
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