Irish artist Black Pope impresses with a nostalgic, melodic rock ‘n’ roll appeal across the new album White Smoke. A myriad of inspirations — from ’50s rock to vintage horror films — combines with consistently quality songwriting and passionately dynamic vocals for a stirring success.
“Atom Bomb” opens the album with an exhilarating energy, melding surf-y guitar nostalgia with “c’mon baby,” vocal temptations. The “do the atom bomb,” refrain conjures ’60s dance fads, set within a fervent guitar-forward arsenal in between the “woo!” bouts of vocal exhilaration. This playful opener drives seamlessly into the enveloping “Goth Girl,” maintaining a bouncy rhythmic energy within a more ominous, debonair vocal disposition: “The goth girl lives, but she never dies.” The opening one-two punch immerses in its infectious qualities, differentiating enjoyably between the hang-loose visions of “Atom Bomb” and the suave, darker intrigue within “Goth Girl.”
White Smoke continues with its excitable rock immediacy thereafter, furthering the more nocturnal spirit of “Goth Girl” with the delectably menacing “Werewolf, Man.” Lyrical references to therapy, infidelity, and preachers suggest an imminent foreboding and nihilistic edge — “The devil asked God was there something he missed. And God said nothing because he doesn’t exist.” The “I’m a full-blown man-killing werewolf man,” declaration launches into stylish guitar fervency and expressive vocal jubilance — marking another replay-inducing success on the release.
The artist’s more laid-back, mysterious pursuits on “Twist and Scream” and “Black Love” also prove stirring. The former feels apt for Halloween, moving from confident twanginess into a title-referencing vocal and a horror-film shout punctuation. “When the music’s hot, but the bodies are cold,” the lyrics continue, fully embracing the nocturnal, delightfully creepy tone. Meanwhile, “Black Love” struts a more folk-ready arsenal, accompanied beautifully by weeping electric guitar textures at mid-point; the “don’t you see,” multi-vocal harmonies afterward injects a gorgeously melancholic retrospection.
Another highlight arises in the album’s lead single, “She’s Alive.” A title-declaring enthusiasm melds with swift guitar tones, stirring especially in the wordless vocal haunts and crowd-like enthusiasm in the second half — with a killer drum solo, to boot. Black Pope describes the track as “a love song about resilience and the beauty of imperfections,” drawing stylistically from ’50s rock, and the title coming to Black Pope whilst watching the 1931 Frankenstein film. It’s an apt single choice, representing the album’s knack for darkly invigorating rockers with a throwback spirit. White Smoke immerses with a strong, stylishly melodic rock sound throughout.
