They did give a hint on their latest, critically acclaimed and internationally quite successful album ‘Man Up’: The Blue Van was on the move. On it their trademark 1960s garage-rock was spiced up with the glam-rock of the 70s here and there, and musically the latter has become even more predominant in the sound of ‘Love Shot’, their fourth album to date.

You still find the heavy, riff-, Hammond- and guitar-driven rock among the thirteen songs, ‘Hole In The Ground’ and ‘You Live, You Learn, You Die’ particularly pleasing, but overall it’s flashier – in the glammiest moments not entirely unlike Swedish The Ark – with big choruses (synth-strings and bells included) and well cut pop hooks with highlights in grandiose ‘Teenage Runaway’ and instant hit ‘Fame And Glory’.

It’s always a gutsy move for a band to change their ways, but Steffen Westmark, Søren Oakes Christensen, Allan Villadsen and Per Jørgensen get away with it on ‘Love Shot’. In part because they paved the way with their previous album, but especially because it’s really solid craftsmanship by a band who know exactly what they’re doing in every sense. It shall be interesting to see where The Blue Van go next…

Genre: Rock
Who: The Blue Van
Album: Love Shot
Label: Iceberg Records/Playground
Year: 2010
Country: Denmark
Language: English
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Recommended tracks:
Mama’s Boy – Teenage Runaway – Fame And Glory – Hole In The Ground – You Live, You Learn, You Die