After the comeback album Uz priekšu, released in 2009, Swedish Latvian group Alis P has released their third album, Attiecību putra. Alis P, led throughout its more than two decades of existence by Gundars Rullis, provide another meaty platter of heavy rock and bluesy grooves.

Uz priekšu was a welcome antidote to the often over-produced and occasionally soulless music that appears at times in music in Latvia (and elsewhere), and Attiecību putra is a worthy successor in that effort.

Joining Rullis, who sings and plays guitar, are Edgars Rubenis (bass) and Edgars Āboliņš (drums). Though there are only three musicians, this power trio has a big sound that can be heard throughout all the songs on the album.

Rullis, whose distinctive, slightly nasally voice might remind some of composer Juris Kulakovs of Pērkons, sings about various types of travelers on the album’s opening track ‘Ceļotāji’, which also features the thundering bass of Rubenis.

The melodic rocker ‘ZiemeļLauma’ offers a more mellow and romantic side of Alis P, with Rullis singing ‘naktīs dalīsim sapņus’ (we’ll share our dreams at night), and is one of the more tender songs on the album.

The dirty blues return in the rough-edged title track ‘Attiecību putra’, which again features the heavy bass of Rubenis, which gives the song a funk-like mood, appropriate for a song about the ‘porridge’ of relationships, with Rullis singing ‘tu esi kā inde’ (you are like poison).

Āboliņš’ drumming is the highlight of the song ‘Jaunas PaAudzes’, another funky number that reminds one slightly of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and over dueling distorted guitar and bass, Rullis ominously intones ‘es tevi redzu, es tevi dzirdu, tevī skatos, klausos’ (I see you, I hear you, I watch you and listen).

The album closes with the dreamy ‘Pacietīšos…’, with Rullis cryptically reciting the digits ‘0850360’ at the beginning of the song. The song, the longest on the album at almost six minutes and thirty seconds, has an almost Dire Straits-like feel to it, what with its lengthy, meandering outro. This mellow song brings the album to a satisfying close.

The only minor criticism about the album is that Rullis’ vocals are sometimes a bit lost in the mix – and, at times, there is a seemingly unnecessary over-reliance on vocal effects. Otherwise the performance of all the musicians involved is exemplary, particularly Rullis’ guitar work, which gives the entire album a solid foundation in rock and blues.

Currently the album is only available as a digital download via the http://www.bandcamp.com website, though a vinyl pressing of the album may appear in the near future.

A new Alis P album is always a reason to celebrate, since few other Latvian rock ensembles (and, it is also worth noting, the number of Latvian rock ensembles seems to decrease with each passing year) offer such enjoyably raw and rough melodies. Attiecību putra has a punchiness that was not as evident on Uz priekšu (though Uz priekšu did present slightly more variety – like the slow blues of ‘No Tapešu ielas’). A refreshing rollicking romp throughout its nine songs (which certainly leaves one wanting more), Attiecību putra is yet another worthy entry in the Latvian rock canon from Alis P.

Alis P website – http://www.alispudelis.lv
Alis P on Bandcamp – http://alisp.bandcamp.com