The Bloody Hollies' Alive release, Who To to Trust, Who to Kill, Who to Love is an album of balls-out, baddass rock and rock roll with a huge, blown-out. killer live room drum sound, dirty guitars and blusey vocals that recall The Strokes swagger.
The first song "Mona" has a surprisingly cool surf-guitar breakdown - hey they are a San Diego band so maybe it's not that surprising - provoking memories of Agent Orange. The second track will convince listeners who haven't seen them play that The Bloody Hollies are a killer live band. Drummer Matt Bennett's helps that notion along with lots of cool drum parts, sometimes pretty up-front in the mix, that sound a more sophisticated than a lot of garage rock drums – prized as they often are for their primitive quality.
As the album progresses, the Bloody Hollies pull out some seriously bluesy licks and slide guitar that sounds great. This sound might provoke comparison to The White Stripes. The eighth track, "Sad and Lonely" is a fast and furious blues rave-up that will seal the deal for any listeners that weren't yet stoked on the band. Recommended for fans of the more bluesy side of garage-rock.
