I spent the whole morning listening to Bloodkin’s new 10 track album “Flowers & Ash” and came away liking what this band is doing and the care behind the music. If you’re after something classic and easy to listen to, this album is well worth your time.
The songs have a familiar rock and Americana sound with country and folk woven into the guitars and melodies. I loved the instrumentation so much. Each part has its place and the band plays together in a way that makes the songs easy to listen to. There’s real chemistry between them, especially in the harmonies. Those moments and details add a lot without taking attention away from the songs. The songwriting was another part I kept coming back to. The melodies are captivating, and I enjoyed spending time with the lyrics rather than treating them as something behind the music. There’s a good variety in the album that will hold your attention until the last second. The album works very well as one complete listen.
This release carries extra meaning after the loss of Daniel Hutchens, Carter’s longtime friend and songwriting partner. That gives the record personal weight, but the music doesn’t need a long explanation to connect. Bloodkin let the songs do their work. I’m really glad I gave this album a full listen. I loved the melodies, songwriting and atmosphere, and finished the album wanting to spend more time with this band. For me, that’s a good sign of a record worth keeping close.
