Music Review: The Pollies, Not Here

By Melissa Bratcher

There’s something amazing going on in Alabama. The bands coming out of the Cotton State are incredible right now. From the Banditos to St. Paul & the Broken Bones to, of course, Alabama Shakes, to the Drive-By Truckers and that nice fellow Jason Isbell, there’s an earthiness and a rootsy flavor in the music, and these bands are breaking in such an exciting way. Add to that list The Pollies.

The Pollies, from Florence, Alabama, have released their newest Not Here on Single Lock/Thirty Tigers. It’s classic feeling album, which is a fine thing to aspire to. Not Here doesn’t slot tidily into one genre—there’s an Americana vibe, but also a 1960s psychedelia-via-the-garage feeling, and a rootsy power pop flavor. These disparate elements come together in an utterly pleasing, tight package of tracks.

Not Here’s opener, “Jackson,” is moving and uplifting, with pounding piano. “Jackson” tells the story of Jimmie Lee Jackson, a church deacon beaten and shot to death by Alabama State Troopers during a voting rights march. His death, among others, inspired the Selma to Montgomery marches, and “Jackson” is a fitting tribute. It hits that magical spot of hopeful and tense.

Lead singer Jay Burgess’ voice reminded me so much of Kevin Junior’s from the late (but possibly revived), lamented Chamber Strings, that it was uncanny, especially on the power pop/Americana marriage of “Games.” “Games” is a fascinating collage of sounds with grimy, reverby guitar, and makes up a trio of songs late in the album that are inventive and interesting. “You Are” follows “Games” with a throwback, psychedelic feeling, down to the retro organ. “Losers” takes the nostalgia and cranks it up with big, gritty guitar and slinky vocals. It’s a relief to get to track 7 of an album and have the song craft still be so strong.

It’s not all ’60s flavored poppery on Not Here. “Paperback Books” is a dreamy slice of hypnotic nostalgia about “drinking beer out of bottles and reading paperback books” and how all downtowns look the same. “She…” is moving but not manipulative, despite the strings. The pedal steel is particularly lovely. “Lost” has layers of guitar and a piano line like burnished copper. The start/stop of “Throw It Away” plays with song structure, coupling Burgess’s smart vocal line and Danny Hurley’s keyboard effectively.

With Not Here, The Pollies establish themselves as an inventive, bold group, unafraid to shake off what is expected of an alt-Americana leaning band. It’s a captivating, catchy album, leaving me definitely wanting to hear much, much more.

Not Here was released by Single Lock/Thirty Tigers on September 25.