Blondshell – ‘Violins’ review: beautifully tender and profoundly honest album of alt-rock poetry

Blondshell has always weaved violence throughout her searing alt-rock. Her ’90s-inspired breakout single ‘Olympus’ started with the head-over-heels promise that Sabrina Teitelbaum would “still kill” for a toxic partner, while her self-titled debut album wrestled with daydream vengeance and potent self-destruction over explosive guitar breakdowns. Her second LP, 2025’s ‘If You Asked For A Picture’, was prettier but no less vicious as she reflected with unapologetic directness on generational anguish, body image struggles and coming-of-age uncertainty. READ MORE: Follow Adult DVD down the rabbit hole into their rave-rock wonderland of characters Coming less than 18 months later, the former NME Cover star‘s third album ‘Violins’ is as playful as it is savage. The album title is an accidental bit of wordplay (violins and violence), while the title track showcases acts of kindness turned into something darker. Instead of a reassuring hand on a shoulder, it’s “a pat on the ass”. Talk of gradual healing is dismissed as boring (“It’s like watching paint”) and there’s no biting back, as Teitelbaum tries to rise above it. “I hope heads don’t roll, they rest lightly on your shoulder”, she rep...