One could argue that the whole dream pop/shoegaze thing has been done to death lately. It almost seems all too easy for a band to crank up the distortion and make the most of their twin reverb amps. Itâs a fair assumption to make, but you have to ask yourself, what genre doesnât keep churning out bands? How many times a week do you hear the same old regurgitated punk or emo bands? However, it doesnât mean that there arenât still some diamonds to be found among the rough, and London trio Flowers are a jewel that really do shine.
With their new album âEverybody’s Dying To Meet Youâ, they have taken a formula that is tried, tested, and clearly works. Yet Flowers have opted for the softer side of 90s nostalgia. While there are obvious comparisons to be made to My Bloody Valentine in terms of the occasional cascade of noise and the swooning vocals that are redolent of Belinda Butcher, âEverybody Is Dying To Meet Youâ offers a far more saccharine approach. It has the shimmering beauty of Cocteau Twins and the melodious hooks of Lush. In fact, you would be forgiven if you thought this was released on label 4AD, as it could easily have been lifted from their back catalogue circa 1990.
It makes for lazy reviewing to compare a band to dozens of their peers, but Flowers wear their influences on their sleeves as well their hearts. The psychedelic pop of âBitter Pillâ is drenched in reverb, with Rachel Kennedyâs vocal effortless hitting glorious high notes, and âEgo Lossâ builds suspense, threatening to collapse in on itself at every turn. The album cohesively flows through each track, and has a woozy production quality, leaving you in a dream-like state.
The constant warm, major-key fuzz that carries âHow Do You Doâ and âTammyâ, sits over the top of punchy snare hits, and has slow bass-drops and tremolo picked guitars in all the right places. Flowers have clearly done their homework, but it is a refreshing take on this sound. Right through to the final decaying moments of âBathroom Sinkâ, you can hear they have meticulous thought out what fits. It sounds like they have done everything to ensure they pay subtle homage to the past, while still sounding current.
While itâs hard to pick fault in âEverybody’s Dying To Meet Youâ, it is far from the most original album you will ever hear. It may not do anything to reinvent the wheel, but it will keep the wheel oiled and spinning. While it was once known as âThe scene that celebrates itselfâ, and calling bands shoegaze is somewhat of an easy get out now, the fact that great bands like Flowers are keeping the genre going longer than it probably did in the 90s can only be seen as a good thing.
GLEN BUSHELL