Bloom
Larkin Poe
The guitar playing on Bloom is very good. That will probably surprise nobody who knows Larkin Poe. The more useful thing to say is that the songs give the playing somewhere to go. Rebecca and Megan Lovell build the record around clear melodies, strong voices and small changes in feeling that make the familiar roots-rock ingredients work.
Mockingbird opens with slide guitar and organ before Rebecca's vocal takes over. It is a warm introduction, with enough force in the chorus to give the album a proper start. Megan's lap steel is central to the sound throughout. It can add a sharp edge or a softer answering phrase without making the arrangements feel crowded.
Bluephoria is a highlight. The riff has more weight, and the vocal exchange gives the song a lively push. It combines a heavier rock feel with the band's blues background naturally. If God Is a Woman goes darker, using a slow, strong groove to give the writing more presence. Both songs have the sort of character that makes them easy to recognise after the album has moved on.
The two parts of Easy Love offer a useful contrast. The first is lighter and more immediate; the second takes a more settled, soulful approach. Putting those different feelings around the same broad subject helps the record tell a more interesting story than a simple collection of upbeat love songs would.
Pearls brings another firm guitar-driven moment, while Bloom Again closes with softer harmonies and a more reflective mood. The voices are a large part of why the quieter songs work. They don't feel like breaks between the guitar features.
A couple of tracks make a smaller impression beside the strongest middle stretch. That is mainly a sign of how well Bluephoria and If God Is a Woman come together. The album as a whole remains easy to follow and full of details worth noticing.
Bloom gives you good songs first, with the excellent playing making them better. That's a combination that lasts longer than a collection of impressive solos.
