Look Like Trouble

Holly Golightly took a long break after her 2018 record Do the Get Along, and when she returned in 2025 with Look Like Trouble, she did it with the same crack band backing her up, the same mix of songs that swing easily from low-down blues to waltzing country and all points in between, and most importantly, the same attitude and charm she has always displayed. By the time the record came out, shed been doing this for a fair spell, but one would never know it. Both she and the band sound fully committed, playing with tightly wound restraint, and the guitars have some serious bite, especially during the solos that threaten to blow out speaker cones. Golightly sings of revenge, putting people in their place, sorting out romantic ills, and the ups and downs of everyday life with the air of someone who has lived and learned quite a bit, and is only too happy to share the knowledge theyve gleaned. Tracks like the rambling bluesabilly "Down to One" or the scathing "Miss Fortune" definitely have a point of view, and its a very sharp one. Joining the latter as songs one wouldnt want to be about them is "Black Tongue," and its one of the albums highlights, sporting a rumbling rhythm, some truly nasty guitar work, and Golightly singing like shes casting a spell. The tune joins her long, long list of memorable moments; so does Look Like Trouble. It has all the hallmarks of her best work and is made special by the whip-smart playing of the band, but also by the fact that Golightly seems to be cheating time and gaining wisdom all at once. ~ Tim Sendra