Man, I can’t believe Trials and Tribulations is the debut EP from Pollyanna Blue. I feel they have been on my radar for years when in fact it has barely been one.
Having first heard of Pollyanna Blue back in October 2022 with their song “Haunted”, they made me feel nostalgic for late 90’s and early 2000’s alternative rock sounds like that of Veruca Salt, Republica, Luscious Jackson, and Lush. So much so that as I wrote on first listen, I checked multiple times when the band formed.
It was not the late 90’s or early 00’s. Pollyanna Blue formed in the summer of 2019 when Zoe Collins on guitars and vocals joined forces with Rich Earle on bass and vocals. Of course a thing known as the pandemic hit and forced the duo to work together online before completing the EP in person.
Trials and Tribulations was recorded by Ash Scot (Memorist, Harper, Aniimalia) and the title was inspired by actual and theoretical experiences that Pollyanna Blue faced with a being a band that started right before the pandemic and with battling one’s own mental health.
“Saviour” the lead track on Trials and Tribulations solidifies that Pollyanna Blue belong to the wonderful world of female fronted kick ass rock bands. Had they been around in the heydays of Lilith Fair, Pollyanna Blue would have headlined more than once. “Saviour” is a fierce rock song. The guitars are in your face and the bass subtly pulls you further and further in and Zoe’s vocals headline the song with a vibrato that resonates with strength and sass.
While Zoe and her guitar were the shining light in “Saviour”, Rich steals the spotlight in “Haunted”. It’s quiet and haunting. (Pun intended.) There’s a distinct sound with his bass that instantly has me feeling very Seattle grunge, especially Alice in Chains and as previously mentioned, Luscious Jackson, specifically the bass vibe in “Naked Eye”. It has everything I like in a solid bass line…gritty, dirty, and heavy. It leaves you a hot sweaty mess.
On the song, Zoe says this,
In this song, trauma is depicted as an unforgiving evil spirit that will come at you at night and relentlessly try to tear you down. The impactful delivery of the lyrics harnesses the real range of emotions of someone experiencing immense feelings of emptiness, sadness and anger. The lyric ‘like a headache’ depicts the side effects of dealing with large and repetitive amounts of trauma and stress to the brain, painting an unpleasant experience for the person being Haunted by their own predicament.
In the song “Strong Enough”, Pollyanna Blue explores how personal inner strength is within all of us to get through whatever tough time one is going through. It’s a powerhouse of an anthem and I know more than one broken heart or broken soul will find solace in the song. “Strong Enough” is a reminder that it’s okay to wallow in the hopeless but that it’s not okay to stay there but to get up and stand up and overcome.
Would I call “Sapphire Lake” a ballad? No in the romantic sense, but yes in the sentimental sense. It’s the closer on the album and the most downtempo of all four songs, but while being downtempo, “Sapphire Lake” still manages to be in your face with its vocals, guitars, bass, and drums. It beautifully sums up the wonderful talent of Pollyanna Blue. The lyrics are a gut punch, the vocals sharp and full of emotion, the guitars soar, and the bass rumbles. It’s the perfect ending to Trials and Tribulations.
Listen to Trials and Tribulations on Spotify
