Mollys Habit – “Smoke ’em if you got ’em” Review

There’s a “Nordic miracle”, alright. But not everyone profiting from it actually believes in it, or is willing to pay by the rules. The rise of AI-generated musical material championed, among others, by Spotify, one of Sweden’s most famous companies, has felt like a slap in the face of artists investing their energy, time and resources in trying to create original, beautiful, exciting art. 

Fortunately, it is not all Swedes who are buying into the “profits now, integrity later” mentality that’s being spread about life, some modern mantra. Mollys Habit are the good guys. They’re rock musicians willing to put themselves on the line, artists willing to work hard for their craft, and entertainers who get off on the idea that audiences resonate when they see others like themselves on stage. 

None of this, however, would work for the new, and ambitious album “Smoke ‘Em If You got ‘Em,” if the band members weren’t willing to do the most un-Swedish thing imaginable – be vulnerable. Just listen to the record’s opening number, “Slip Away,” a song about acquaintances selling out their principles and the promise not to do the same, and you may well feel like you’re been dropped into a conversation with old friends. 

The grungey “Waves” is an ode to facing personal challenges and finding the strength to overcome them. And, the riff-heavy “Without Within” sounds like a promise whispered to oneself against getting lost, losing focus, forgetting promises. 

Still, the group’s greatest strength on “Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em,” is its ability to entertain, to create rousing, sing-along-friendly songs. The modern alt-rock of “Walk with Me” races toward a hooky chorus and contains some of the record’s most convincing vocals. The pop-punk-inspired “Only Aces High” feels like material destined to be played on the stages of Summer festivals. And the radio-friendly “Elvira” is the love song that balances out the album’s more combative-sounding elements. 

Where does it all leave us? Hopefully, closer real people, hard work and actual talent. Mollys Habit’s “Smoke ‘Em if You Got ‘Em” is a strong collection of modern songs that deliver the hooks and remind us that the only place to get those is from the people willing to do whatever it takes to create those.