The first thought I had after hearing Flasher‘s new album, Love Is Yours, for the first time was, “They could change their name to Lusher.” because they’ve crafted a lusher sound from their previous work, but not lost any of the post-punk fuzz or angular guitars.
Opening track “I Saw You” combines these fuzzy guitars from Taylor Mulitz with sci-fi movie ray gun synths as drummer Emma Baker asks, “Do I sound sincere? Do I make myself clear?” The title track brings out dance floor beats in a song about embracing peace that’s right in front of you (even during a pandemic, as the lyric of “I’m seeing 20-20.” seems to take on a different meaning now). Speaking of lyrics that take on new meaning, Baker’s lyric of “I’m spinning out at home.” on “Little Things” is, on its surface, about a bout of vertigo she suffered, but, through the lens of the pandemic, describes pretty much all of us for a period of about two years.
Mulitz is back on lead vocals for “Nothing,” layering them with spacey synths and sizzling beats from Baker. “I’m on fire. You’re underwater,” he sings on “Still Life,” one of many examples of witty lyrics about the complex nature of romance on the whole record. “All Day Long” has a nice chugging guitar sound to it. “Living is so hard lately,” begins “I’m Better.” You’re not sure about the truthfulness of the title after an opening lyric like that, but the peppy nature of the track can’t be denied.
“Sideways” is a stand-out on the record, with its breezy, bouncy guitars and that lushness I mentioned earlier. It sounds like friends roller skating down the street while eating bomb-pops they just bought from an ice cream truck. “Damage” gets a bit darker, mainly through Multiz’s warped guitar strumming, but Baker’s beats keep your toes tapping. Baker mixes beats from her kit with electro-beats from Owen Wuerker on “Dial Up,” with Mulitz singing about how he can barely stay awake, yet he can’t bring himself to get offline. The closer, “Tangerine,” sends us off on a lush note, but with a bit of a tart edge.
Love Is Yours is a good album from Flasher, even more so when you consider they went from a three-piece to a two-piece after former bassist Daniel Saperstein left the band, Mulitz moved to the west coast, and, oh yeah, there was a pandemic when they recorded it.
Keep your mind open.
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[Thanks to Jacob at Pitch Perfect PR.]