SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VIOLET GROHL – BE SWEET TO ME

VIOLET GROHL
BE SWEET TO ME
AURORA RECORDS/REPUBLIC RECORDS

Having sung backup vocals for Foo Fighters for nearly a decade, even making appearances on 2021’s Medicine at Midnight and 2023’s But Here We Are, Violet Grohl has emerged with her own debut studio album, Be Sweet To Me. Recorded with producer Justin Raisen (Kim Gordon, Charli XCX), alongside a revolving door of session musicians, Grohl’s debut marks an impressive artistic statement that feels authentic and is about as independent from one’s mega-famous father as one can get while sharing a last name.

In the lead up to Be Sweet To Me, Grohl released a trio of singles, two of which open the album. “Thum,” the lead single, kicks down the door with a beyond fuzz riff that dissipates to reveal a lush and ambient verse. As a vocalist, there is a melancholic sweetness to Grohl’s voice that easily expresses a sense of yearning and, at times, angst over catchy melodies. All of this is apparent as she steers the course between the contrasting dynamics present within “Thum,” and this is something further seen within the following song, “595.” The song may play with a similar dynamic, but what a chorus. Despite a brooding and open verse, the chorus of Grohl’s ode to phone sex is explosive as the guitar claws its way, ripping through the established chord progression.

Be Sweet To Me is modern take on ‘90s grunge and alternative rock. There is something extremely nostalgic about this record, but as if you’re hearing it for the very first time through a Gen Z lens. Grohl sounds as refreshing as she does vintage on her debut album. From the frenetic “Bug In The Cake” to the atmospheric balladry of “Mobile Star,” Be Sweet To Me sees Grohl contemplate love, lust, belonging, loss, and purpose as she navigates the uncertainty of our modern age through distinctly analogue means. In addition to the opening two tracks, highlights include the relentlessly heavy and damn near apocalyptic “Often Others” – a blistering, thrash inspired take on stoner rock and doom metal that plays with rhythm and dissonance through monstrous guitars and powerful drums—the Alice In Chains inspired “Applefish,” and the effortlessly slinky “Cool Buzz.”

Across 11 songs, Grohl demonstrates her worth as a musician and songwriter who stands on her own two feet as she carves her own path on Be Sweet To Me. Grohl proves to be incredibly versatile as she finds and hones her voice as a songwriter. While firmly planted within alternative rock, Be Sweet To Me is expansive and unlike much of what is prevalent within the genre today, separating her from her peers. Ultimately, Be Sweet To Me demonstrates Grohl as a highly unique and gifted songwriter and her debut album should generate both curiosity and excitement for where her artistry will take her next.

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