There were times when I wondered if we would ever see Baroness in concert again. The Savannah sludge rock titans are responsible for some of the most successful and recognizable albums over the last decade. They won me over with their brilliant Blue Record back in 2009 and became one of my favorite bands with the release of their massive double album Yellow & Green in 2012. Shortly after the release of their double album, the group was involved in a severe bus accident that left the members of Baroness mangled. It was a horrific accident. I would not have blamed them if they decided to hang it up after something so traumatizing. In fact, two of the members did leave the group following the accident. Bassist Matt Maggioni and drummer Allen Blickle suffered fractured vertebrae from the accident and following rehabilitation, left the band. Broken, but not defeated, John Baizley and Pete Adams decided to carry on the mighty Baroness.
They returned to the studio this year with their newest members, Nick Jost (bass/keyboards) and Sebastian Thomson (drums). After spending some time together to practice songs from older albums as well as complete a small circuit of shows, they went in the studio with producer, David Fridmann, (The Flaming Lips, Sleater-Kinney, and Tame Impala), and completed work on their fourth studio album, Purple.
This new album is a triumphant return to form for Baroness. I know there will be some disagreement because Purple sounds a little more like Yellow & Green than it does Red Album or Blue Record, but what has always made Baroness better than a very large number of bands in my opinion is the artistry and this sort-of majesty to them. Baizley, Adams, and now Jost and Thomson just seem to effortlessly create this deep, emotional rock through their rhythm and lyrics. Yellow & Green showcased that incredibly well and on Purple; Baroness have fortified this notion, especially when you consider the trauma they have gone through. You hear this underlying sense of resiliency in Purple even though the lyrical content is melancholic or somber at times.
From the thunderous opening riff of “Morningstar” to the robotic spoken word of the closer, “Crossroads to Infinity,” Purple represents a roaring resurgence in form and fusion of all of their previous works. The record takes the melodic vocals and hooks from Yellow & Green and mashes it with the power of Red Album and Blue Record. Baizley’s vocal capabilities have become greater over time, this is most apparent on songs such as “Try to Disappear,” “Chlorine & Wine,” and the ballad-esque “If I had To Wake Up (Would You Stop the Rain).” The addition of Nick Jost’s jazzy bass lines and Sebastian Thomson’s first-rate drumming into the lead guitar of Pete Adams and Baizley’s supporting guitar creates some of Baroness’s catchiest songs ever in “Shock Me” and “Desperation Burns”.
Purple is without a doubt one of the best albums of 2015. It would be tough to question that idea. It is a deeply emotive album in which Baizley and Adams musically overcame the past couple of years and in the process created some of their best material to date. The addition of Jost and Thomson to the lineup created some new flair to Baroness and help to bring different influences to their unique brand of rock music. John Baizley, as always, created gorgeous cover art and compelling lyrics for their fourth studio album. In digesting Purple, I believe it represents a holistic view of Baroness. Throughout the album you can find their past feats in music and their enlivened vigor as artists. Baroness returning to their music was such a huge thing for me personally. For them to come back with such a great album made it all the more better.
Rating: 4/5