Larkin Poe – Bloom

Larkin Poe sounds like a female version of The Black Crowes: soulful blues rock crunch and arena rock swagger. Larkin Poe are even an Atlanta singer-songwriter siblings like the Brothers Robinson.

According to their website, “Rebecca & Megan Lovell of Larkin Poe are Grammy-winning singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist sisters creating their own brand of Roots Rock ‘n’ Roll: gritty, soulful, and flavored by their southern heritage.”  In 2023, they released Blood Harmony, which won the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Rebecca (34) and Megan (35) had been playing professionally, first as the Lovell Sisters, since they were teenagers in 2004.

In a different era, Larkin Poe would be huge – like Heart Huge. What is crazy about contemporary music is that there is so much great music that you have never heard of. It is easier than ever for an artist/band to get their music out into the world, given home recording and the internet. More significantly, some bands are successful that you have never heard of. Back in the day, a band would have come across the average rock fan’s radar if they had a twenty-year career with eight studio albums, eight EPs, and one live album (which is the case for Larkin Poe). Today, there are artists/bands a musichead has never heard of playing in arenas and, in some cases, stadiums. Larkin Poe is not Billy Strings big, but they are playing 1000 to 2000-person capacity rooms.

Their back catalog is pretty rootsy. Bloom sounds like a grab of the brass ring toward mainstream success with its arena rock ambitions. There is nothing wrong with ambition, especially if you can pull it off, and Larkin Poe pulls it off.

The most apparent thing you hear on Bloom is blues rock with big guitar riffs/hooks. But what makes this special are the vocals. They are a touch country in that way that Bonnie Rait and Susan Tedeschi’s blues are country. And then there are the blood harmonies – they are pretty dreamy.

The album has no bad tracks, but “Bluephoria” sticks out with its giant guitar riffs and outstanding vocals.

Another standout is “Easy Love Part 1,” which has a Bonnie Raitt vibe: the vocals, the slide guitar, and the attitude. Its companion, “Easy Love Part 2,” slows things down to a quiet storm. Like “Part 1,” it has a Bonnie vibe with an excellent vocal performance and slide guitar solo.

Overall, this delightful album will appeal to classic rock fans.