★★★★★
Bewitching Scot-rock band Lucia & The Best Boys tell an enchanting tale of love and longing through energetic beats and angelic vocals in their second album, 'Picking Petals'. The band represents their Scottish heritage - blending bagpipes and fiddles with synths, gritty electric guitars and heavy drum beats. This album encapsulates these influences and distils them into a more trad-rock sound than in 2023's 'Burning Castles'. An album for both the whimsical highland faeries and warehouse witches of Glasgow - 'Picking Petals' bridges alternative, electronic pop with frolicking folk.The album opens with a pulsing beat, instantly gaining momentum and anticipation. What follows is an empowering yet fragile song of heartbreak and toxic love. With mirroring bagpipe drones and industrial synths, 'Back Inside My Heart' is a soaring start to the mystical journey that is 'Picking Petals'.
Following this is the album's highly anticipated first single, 'Lonely Girl' - featuring the lead singer of legendary Scottish band CHVRCHES, Lauren Mayberry. This joyful, energetic track is an organic ode to girlhood and belonging. The two vocalists' accents blend beautifully together, representing a strong connection and bond between them. This track is all about togetherness and community - with the lyric "I no longer feel like a lonely girl" repeated throughout the lively choruses. Creating a crowd-uniting experience and a sing-along moment, 'Lonely Girl' is already a fan favourite.
Next is 'Wolf Cry' - a powerful ballad alive with acoustic guitars and airy drum fills. Freeing alternative melodies and atmospheric instrumentation build a raw and radiant sound and create the perfect whimsical summer anthem. Lyrics like "So put her heart into a barrel / Lock it away with the shadows" in the first verse paint a vivid picture of emotional dependence and isolation, and tie in beautifully with the light and restrained musicality which accompanies them.
'Better For The Worse' is the album's fourth and final single. With glittering Fleetwood Mac-esque percussion and guitar riffs, this heavenly track tells a story of a complicated relationship through confessional lyrics and emotional vulnerability. This showcases the band's beautiful storytelling and weaves us further into the magical world of 'Picking Petals'.
Track 5 is 'You Look Like Somebody In Love' - this album's first single. Rich in traditional, folk influences, this vibrant anthem of love and admiration explodes with energy and charm. Forcing you to get up and swing your partner 'round your arm, this song picks up the album's momentum, ready for the titular track.
'Picking Petals' is the album's climax: a strong, thumping track bursting with emotion and drama. On the edge of electronic, this song combines both the band's Scottish heritage with a grittier, synthesised style. The lead vocals hold such power and beautifully dominate the track, really showing off frontwoman Lucia Fairfull's talent. With lyrics holding a connection to the Scottish landscape, this track is the perfect face of the album, representing their identity as a band.
The next atmospheric track has a stripped-back instrumental - with light acoustic guitars, heavy reverb, and a clean drum beat, it lets Fairfull's powerful vocals do the talking. 'Pleasure And A Prayer' is shimmering and dreamlike, helping the listener flow gently through the album, while still feeling the whimsical vibes.
'Forgot The Arrow' bears all in a glowing, vulnerable ballad of loss and heartache. The gentle piano dances with the delicate harmonies, putting full focus on the poetic lyrics. Soft strings float in the background, creating a deep and sensitive feeling.
Following this is 'Big Romance', featuring a friend of the band and renowned songbird, Abigail Morris. Frontwoman for theatrical indie-rock band The Last Dinner Party, Morris brings her dramatic, rich vocals in abundance for this glamorous and energetic track. With sharp drums and a playful bassline, this song builds into a dreamy dance of friendship and longing.
To tie off the album, 'Ephemeral' is full of momentum and passion. Like a frolic through the forest, this track encourages you to find the beauty in the fleeting moments and the impermanence of life. This momentous final track ends the album on an optimistic anthem of weightless melodies and driving instrumentals.
With thematic storytelling and innovative construction, 'Picking Petals' takes you to a new realm of raw emotion and playful melodies. The powerful, emotional sound Lucia & The Best Boys are forging is a breath of fresh mountain air, and has you wondering what happens next in this tale of heartache and self-discovery.
Freya Mackenzie
Image: 'Picking Petals' Official Album Cover