Louder than the sounds of rowdy groups and leaders in authority are the ever-so-honest thoughts of those who view life from the corner. Described as “rock that rolls with primitive swagger,” Holy Roller Baby’s upcoming album release offers rock lovers the intensity of a rock album with the heart of a soul record. Seeking to illuminate the human experience without being preachy or judgemental, this record is not about taking sides. By rallying listeners to simply figure out complex things together, all are invited to the “Frenzy” which is out now.
“A lot of cool kids make music, and I don’t really fit into that world,” says singer/songwriter Jared Mullins, candidly. “I don’t know what it’s like to be the cool kid.”
Rock rolls with primitive swagger in the music of Holy Roller Baby. With music as spirited as their name suggests, the band blends the best of 70s string-bending guitar rock with an undeniably forward-thinking perspective. Raucous and gritty with a focus on songwriting, melody, and substantive lyrics, the band plays glorious rock at concussive volumes while swinging to an unmistakable beat, filtering a thunderous bluster through a soul crooner’s sensibility.
Founded in 2017 in Austin, Texas, the four-piece, led by the songwriting of Jared Mullins and using two lead guitarists, was invited to record their debut album at Radiohead’s Courtyard Studios in Oxfordshire, England. Together with producer Ian Davenport (Band of Skulls, Supergrass, Philip Selway of Radiohead) the band recorded a blistering 50-minute, 12-track album that combs through a diverse array of blues-tinged rock, even borrowing amps and percussion from Radiohead and guitars from Gaz Coombes (ex-Supergrass) to do so.
Written at a time where division may seem prevalent, Holy Roller Baby’s unfiltered lyrics throughout “Frenzy” offer listeners a fresh look at what it means to be human. All tracks were written by Jared Mullins using simple “rudimentary drum loops and very basic guitar parts” before they were presented to the band. Notably, Ian Davenport (Demob Happy, Band of Skulls, Radiohead) responded to their demos with great enthusiasm, inviting the band to record the full-length record at Courtyard Studios in Oxfordshire, England, owned by Radiohead’s management company; doors opened for Holy Roller Baby to open for Band of Skulls and Demob Happy during their US tour (September 9th). The band partnered with Chalupa Production in Dallas, TX to create music videos for this album, one of which (“Ravings At Your Window, released June 14th, 2019) hit 100K+ views within about three months of its debut.
Complex in its simplicity, “Frenzy” signifies a turning point for Holy Roller Baby, once subject to descriptions that didn’t match who they know they are, deep down. By fusing the extremes of songs that are heavy (“Leper Blues” and “Eve”) with a soulful-Motown feel (“Your Body Will Sing”), the result is an unboxed sound that beams with confidence. With pure intentionality, the band’s ability to articulate what they’re about has come to inform everything they do. From recklessly-fun rhythms to their edgy lyrics, listeners will find it nearly impossible not to relate.
As Jared put it plainly, “I don’t fuckinging get life yet. I feel like I should, but I don’t.”
In many ways, Holy Roller Baby’s music marks an era where it’s okay not to have it all figured out. To view life from the corner alongside them, join the “Frenzy.”
