The word “veteran” gets thrown around a lot in the music world. It is closely associated with celebrated artists entering the fourth decade of their career or elusive musicians who rarely speak publicly. Veteran musicians are typically the center of attention wherever they go, people flock to artists they’ve never heard of if one of these artists gives their stamp of approval or gifts them with some sort of musical contribution. Not in every case, but an ego is usually not too far behind these guys, a refusal to bend to modern times or even consider that the times have changed. In the case of the supergroup The Blips, the word veteran is used with every good intention. Made up of five of Alabama’s most celebrated and prolific rock stars, The Blips split duties on their songs, showing no signs of ego and simply creating the best music possible.
Made up of Will Stewart, Taylor Hollingsworth, Wes McDonald, Eric Wallace, and Chris McCauley, The Blips are unfiltered creativity at its finest. The five-piece debuted with the explosive 2021 self-titled debut, and their unique brand of fusion rock shows no signs of stopping. Again is the anticipated sophomore release and it holds everything that makes the musicians veterans while exuding a youthful thirst for raging tempos. The nine-song tracklist weaves in and out of different eras of rock, all lined with a level of dustiness that brings a layer of intimacy to their power chords. The band seamlessly bends time to create murky textures that are sliced through with fluctuating melodies. In the best way possible, this tracklist is structureless which allows the nuance of each Blip to shine for a head-spinning listening experience with infinite replay value.
There is a certain energy that runs through Again, the kind of energy that buckles you in and prepares you for whatever is about to be thrown at you. What is being thrown at you is an onslaught of fuzzy guitar work and searing vocals that bring these audio files to life. The Blips don’t need consistency, the way they structured their sophomore album in such an abstract way allowed for a song like the stadium-sized ballad like “Good Lookin’ Liars” to sit comfortably next to the spaced-out psychedelia of “Laika”. The album dips in and out of tones and tempos with ease as the five-headed monster crafts infectious rock tunes that feel timeless yet immediate and present. “Glass Beach” is a heartfelt, slow-burning anthem with one of the better vocal performances on the album while the hectic outro, “The Push”, has the band leaning on blazing guitar work and distorted vocals for pure punk bliss.
The magic of The Blips’ sophomore album is right on the surface while still making every small detail feel just as important as the last. Again is an undeniably fun set of songs that finds consistently in the freedom of five established musicians fearlessly collaborating on one, mind-altering album. By swapping instruments and singing duties on each track, you get the full Blips experience. This format forces this otherwise short outing to sound full and lively, not wasting a single moment on anything that isn’t masterful shredding or high-flying vocal performances. Again is all gas and no breaks, allow the band to guide you through the controlled chaos of their stunningly all-over-the-place sophomore effort.
