Bloody Hollies

Who To Trust, Who To Kill, Who To Love

WINNER - San Diego Music Awards - Alternative Rock Album of the Year

CMJ Magazine

CSI: SAN DIEGO

DISSECTING THE BLOODY HOLLIES’ BLOODLUST

INTERVIEW BY ERIC DAVIDSON

San Diego’s Bloody Hollies have been slicing across stages since 2000. and are back with their third, thoroughly sardonic slice of riff- stabbing, graveyard boogie-punk, Who To Trust, Who To Kill, Who To Love (Alive). There’s a nasty, blood-red streak in their stomp and more than a few lyrical bodies left lying at the end of their records. Strange, because they seem like such nice guys, loners, always kept to themselves.... We let the guitarist Joey Horgen address this diechotomy on the band’s behalf.

There’s a lot of, say, murderous intent in the band’s lyrics and artwork and sound for that matter.

Yeah, the first [song on Who To Trust], “Mona,” is about a young man stalking a pretty young girl.

Are there any similarly murderous bands that influenced you?

Well, not exactly. But we always get the thing that we’re a White Stripes rip-off––which I think is funny––just because Wes has a high-pitched voice and we like the blues.

But you wouldn’t want to kill Jack White.

No, no... Well, not so much.

Given your new record’s title, who would you like to kill?

Ooh, that’s a strong question. That might get us into trouble. I don’t have anyone in particular that I wanna off right now, but I can’t speak for everyone else in the band.

So if you wouldn’t murder anyone yourself, who are your favorite serial  killers?   

1. Bible John: Well-dressed young Scotsman in the late ’60s, often seen reciting bible passages in town. Was the last person seen with three murder victims whom all met a gruesome fate and were all strangely enough menstruating at the time... no bull.

2. Jack The Ripper: Ah yes, everyone’s favorite. Delusional surgeon or STD-riddled Mason?

3. The Zodiac Killer: Thirty years of fear for the San Francisco Bay area. Copied but not duplicated.

4. Joe Ball: Crazed Texas bar owner who fed his waitresses to pet alligators out back of his bar in his famed “croc pit.” Both the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Eaten Alive were based on this fine specimen.

5. Boston Strangler: The original “Midnight Rambler.” Sweet talked his way into the homes of 13 women, then had his way and strangled them with pieces of their own clothing. Beacon Hill isn’t so fun anymore, seeing as nobody was caught.

ORLANDO SENTINEL

Who to Trust, Who to Kill, Who to Love:

(4 stars out of 5)

Bloody Hollies strong-armtheir way to mayhem

In the spirit of the Von Bondies and the White Stripes, the Bloody Hollies stick to their garage-punk roots on Who to Trust, Who to Kill, Who to Love.

The lyrics are printed in the liner notes, so you can figure out what lead singer Wesley Doyle is shrieking about, but the noisy instruments really push the message across just fine without the limitations of language.

Scorching guitars power representative bashers such as "The Rain" and "Satanic Satellite." A pounding snare drum launches the former, which out-Hives the Hives, while the latter builds a stuttering start-stop rhythm into another breakneck run of mayhem.

Analyze this music? If you need an explanation, you'll never get it.

It should be mentioned, however, that Doyle is a better-than-average frontman, switching from brash shouting in the verses of "Delta Heart Attack" into an impressive higher register in chorus. The angular chord progression and slide guitar work by Joey Horgen is surprisingly awesome, too.

At a few points, the Bloody Hollies actually expand the sound, but in subtle ways that don't detract from the raw punch. There's harmonica and greasy blues guitar in the introduction to "Sad and Lonely" that takes the punk purism South. Likewise, the taste of organ that launches the opening "Mona" adds a nice bit of texture.

However, it's obvious that the Bloody Hollies like things rough, and that's how they do it on Who to Trust. To do otherwise would be a bloody shame.

____________________________________________________

LOW CUT

The Bloody Hollies : Who To Trust, Who To Kill, Who To Love CD (Alive Records)

The first song ”Mona” sounds a bit like a hybrid of Agent Orange (surf punky guitar) and White Stripes (maybe due to Wesley Doyle’s manic Jack White-ish voice). There should be something for everybody; garagerock, early 80s punk, early 70s rock’n’roll, late 60s blues rock and even some cowpunk-ish twang. The Bloody Hollies could very likely be the next big thing, and I say more power to’em, cuz this extremely talented San Diego trio got what it takes in the songwriting and energy department. Catchy yet gutsy, equal amounts of heart and balls. Highly recommendable.

http://www.bloodyhollies.com/

http://www.alive-totalenergy.com

If you dig: Soledad Brothers, Agent Orange, White Stripes

____________________________________________________

EAR CANDY

The Bloody Hollies, “Who To Trust, Who To Kill, Who To Love” (Alive Records)

4 TCB’s

Same band, completely different approach. Well, not completely different, everything still kicks like a mule. It’s just that there’s much more as far as dynamics on this album than the stripped down and basic approach of “Fire At Will” or even 2005’s “If Footmen Tire You…”. Wesley Doyle takes on more of Jack White persona on this one and a little less of the Bon Scott persona of “Fire At Will”. It doesn’t matter how you slice it, dice it or mince it up it’s still some of the best rock ‘n’ roll to ever pierce a set of eardrums. Get it!

____________________________________________________

AMG

The Bloody Hollies don't stray dangerously far from the fast/loud/hard sound that dominated their first two long-players on album number three, the brilliantly titled Who to Trust, Who to Kill, Who to Love, but at the same time this is certainly the group's most ambitious and accomplished set to date. Along with the garage punk blama-lama that's their bread and butter, the Bloody Hollies add some dashes of hard rock guitar swagger and glam-styled attitude on these ten tunes, and the moody organ intro to "Mona" kicks off the show with more texture and detail than you might expect from these guys. But don't let the new layers of depth and occasional subtlety throw you -- the Bloody Hollies are still here to rock the house, and they shake it to its foundations on this record, with the slightly more measured tempos of "Black Box Blues" and "C'est la Vie, Ma Chérie" revealing just how much muscle this trio can summon without breaking the speed limit. Wesley Doyle's guitar and vocal work continues to impress (along with his songwriting), and drummer Matthew Bennett and (guitarist) Joey Horgen give him all the support he needs on these sessions. Who to Trust, Who to Kill, Who to Love takes what was great about the Bloody Hollies' first two albums, refines the formula, adds some solid new accents, and ends up with a killer album that has brains, muscle, and sweat in equal measure.

-Mark Deming

___________________________________________________

ALTERCATION MAGAZINE

Bloody Hollies * Who To Trust, Who To Kill, Who To Love * Alive

The metamorphosis of the Bloody Hollies from simply a really good band to a group of possible historical importance continues. Who To Trust, Who To Kill, Who To Love is far less urgent than last year's epic scorcher If Footmen Tire You?but ultimately richer in a lasting sense. Opener 'Mona' is a manic / depressive haunt that is practically divided into song chapters, with Wesley Doyle's creeping vocals hovering just below the mix; it's a bold attempt at experimentation that pays off huge dividends, a perfect opening track that grabs you by the collar and says 'hey, shut up and listen to this.'

The remainder of the album is an ideal cohabitation of the Bloody Hollies back catalogue, both old and new - 'C'est La Vie, Ma Cherie' is the 'sorry babe' lament that rears its head in one form or another on most Hollies' albums, while both 'Attica Rocks' and 'Sad & Lonely' both showcase exactly where those increasingly-frequent ACDC comparisons are coming from.

Ultimately, however, the album is a testament to the Hollies' longtime muse - the blues. Their earlier albums may have successfully masked things under the cover of punk and psychobilly, but make no mistake - the Bloody Hollies are a blues band for the next generation. >From the death ode "Delta Heart Attack" to the come-hither wanton bait of album closer 'Let's Do It', the Bloody Hollies accomplish the near impossible with Who To Trust, Who To Kill, Who To Love - they successfully bring the blues into the present.

-JT

___________________________________________________

Buffalo-to-San Diego garage rockers The Bloody Hollies' third release, the ferociously titled Who To Trust ... is a balls-to-the-wall, out-and-out thrasher of an album right out of the gate. Though vocally they casually recall The White Stripes and their ilk, this band has all the chops, the deep-seated hunger and none of the cutesy, trendy schtick of those outfits.

Kicking off scratching, yowling and battering with the bizarre, catchy rush of "Mona," The Bloody Hollies (how could you go wrong with a name like that?) hitch your caboose to their full-throttle train before you even have a chance to buy a ticket, and the ride only gets wilder from there on out.

A three-piece (other than accordion accompaniment by Troy Troyus on "Mona" and "Hurry Hurry Hurry") comprised of singer/guitarist/harp-man Wesley Doyle, axe-man Joey Horgen and skin-meister Matthew Bennett, the band churns out such a dazzling, ear-dizzying, feedback-augmented brew of sound there are times you'd swear there's four, five or six guys belting out these classics-to-be.

Bottom line with The Bloody Hollies is that they're a driven, lyrically-inspired gang of fellow blues/punk/rock lovers who've somehow managed to combine their most deeply ingrained influences (Howlin' Wolf, Junior Kimbrough, long-forgotten Deep Southern troubadours with names like Limpin' Larry Jones and One-Eye Jackson) with the obvious (pre-major label Stooges, The Count Five, varying punk influences ranging from The Minutemen to Dead Boys to 999) and their own genuine love for amps that go past "11" to create a sound that's both in-the-moment and comfortingly familiar at the same time. Recommended track: "Satanic Satellite." Check 'em out at bloodyhollies.com and be prepared for a righteous, soulful punch in the rock 'n' roll belly.

-Pulse of the Twin Cities

_______________________________

THE BLOODY HOLLIES

Who to Trust, Who to Kill, Who to Love

www.adultcontemporary.co.uk

"Essentials"

Rather than garage-rock, this disc almost defines sweaty-cavern-rock, with every brick dripping with condensation and reverberating to the attack of a pair of guitars, drums and the occasional dab of bass, harmonica and organ. This is the Blueskins gone dirty, or the Archie Bronson Outfit gone all bluesy, and is very reminiscent of early White Stripes cranked up to 12 - a track like Mona could easily have been a standout on De Stijl. Despite threatening a wearing listen, Who To Trust, Kill, Love is actually an innervating thrash of raw music, fiery tales and blistering delivery. Mixing the best spirit of punk with a rock musician's technical ability, the 36 minutes blur past in a furious ménage of soloing guitars, crunching rhythm and fantastic lead vocals. The Bloody Hollies fulfil the promise that bands like Von Bondies ultimately failed to deliver - a disc of genuine invention and excitement.

ACE rating 8/10

_______________________________

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 (...) Recommended for fans of the more bluesy side of garage-rock. - Gordon B. Isnor / Left Hip magazine

_______________________________

Emo boy's head exploded upon hearing The Bloody Hollies for his first virgin experience. Emotions splattered all across the room. It was quite tragic and many an Emo girl wept tears that washed away the stains left on the Emo walls. The Bloody Hollies skulk in dark corners ready to surge and fester like gangrene infested open wounds pulsing and wasting at every flare or flexure. Swabbing alcohol infested unguent causing great alleviation yet burning away the wretchedness. Perhaps predicting a CD is the best of the year when it is not 2007 (date of release) is a bit risky. Hell, I have never been a man of risk but when it comes to quality, growth and double barrel rock and roll then the Bloody Hollies have the spades. Blues from a bloody red gun. Shove the barrel down your throat and taste it. - Christopher Duda / Sugarbuzz Magazine

_______________________________

If Rock 'n' Roll were doused in gasoline and set aflame with a Zippo lighter, The Bloody Hollies would erupt forth in a fiery rush of amplified madness. This sonically blistering CD is a rhythmic hellfire cauldron of two-fisted, distortion-laden damnation just like the sort that Satan prescribes to worthy lost souls thirsting for another night of sin. The spastic, caterwauling, out-of-control vocals are savagely accompanied by a deafening loud crash of frenzied, screaming instrumentation, and it all ultimately sounds like a cluster-bomb orgy of shattered glass, boozy bravado, voodoo sex rituals, and good old-fashioned chicken-shack stomp. Man alive, The Bloody Hollies are guaranteed to unleash the primal raging beast within us all, one sizzlin' hot song at a time. - Moser / Under The Volcano

_______________________________

At long last this great Rock N Roll band have released a new album. This is an excellent follow on to ´If Footmen Tire You´ and really does need to be given a listen. The Bloody Hollies tunes are a fusion of Blues meets Punk Rock which many bands in the same genre of music would kill for. The guitars from Wesley Doyle and Joey Horgen really makes this the album that it is. However Troy Troyus plays some real killer bass lines and also supplies the Organ and Accordion which really adds something cool to their sound. Matthew Bennett keeps it all together on drums and the excellent vocal delivery from Wesley really see´s this band gel so well together. There´s ten tracks on this album and each one of them is delivered in style which makes you wonder why this band aren´t more well known?! For proof of this just listen to the ´Mona´, ´The Rain´ and ´Satanic Satellite´ and try telling me these aren´t worthy of a listen. It´s sheer criminal when bands like this get ignored in favour of watered down acts who just aren´t in the same league. As with all ´Alive´ releases the production is second to none and packaging is spot on. This album deserves to be a hit in 2007 so pre-order and give this release the justice it so rightfully deserves! (Alive) 9/10 FFRUK.com

_______________________________

The Bloody Hollies newest disc, "Who to Trust, Who to Kill, Who to Love" is blistering. I could stop there and that would sum it up for this review but I couldn't stop without telling you how raw yet refined these guys come across. Guitars that makes your guts twist, vocals that will make your brain tighten, drums and bass that push and pull your toes as the music hits your existence. - Jeff Jackson / Music Filter