The Lovell family have been making music together for 20 years. Five as the trio, The Lovell Sisters, and fifteen as duo Larkin Poe following the departure of eldest sister Jessica. Rebecca and Megan are coming off their most successful album to date, ‘Blood Harmony’ in 2022, which ended up bagging a Grammy in early 2024. Hailing originally from northern Georgia, now based in the Americana & Country Music mecca of Nashville, they are back with their seventh studio album, ‘Bloom’, co-produced by Tyler Bryant.

The record kicks off with a firecracker of a track – ‘Mockingbird’. Megan’s opening lap steel chords, coupled with Rebecca’s stirring, husky vocals that have echoes of Brandi Carlile, have you thinking that this LP is gonna blow you away, in the best way. Sadly, it’s not the case as ‘Easy Love Pt 1’ really goes to town with country harmonics, bordering on middle of the road country pop cliche – “he’s got a little cowboy hat on top” a lyrical low point.

The quality picks up again with recent single, the psychedelic rocker ‘Bluephoria’, punctuated by a simmering guitar solo by Rebecca that Jimmy Page would be content with. The lyrics were inspired by blues legend Furry Lewis, as a matter of fact.

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The Lovells have been vocal about the album’s central theme of self-acceptance, however, it feels like they are grappling to find their musical identity on this record, at times lacking depth & richness on the likes of the bombastic ‘Nowhere Fast’ and high-paced ‘Pearls’. It’s a step backwards from their previous release three years ago.

The best songs on the record are those that are slightly more nuanced and considered. The more mellow ‘You Are The River’ has some of the strongest hooks and melodies on show. Friend of the band, Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell encouraged Rebecca and Megan to let their sisterly harmonies really shine in the closer and title track, ‘Bloom’, quoting parallels with Don and Phil Everly as inspiration. This captivating end to the record does shine a light on the quality that Larkin Poe can produce, but it’s just not evident across the release as a whole.

‘Bloom’ is not a weak album by any stretch. The title aspires to present an album and a band that are maturing and flourishing musically, however it is difficult not to feel somewhat underwhelmed by the final result. 

6/10

Words: Lee Campbell

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