By Charlie Maybee
Texas guitar pop legend, Lannie Flowers, has returned with a new album titled Flavor of the Month, which acts as a collection of singles from 2018 known as the March to Home series. As Flowers has been working toward a trio of albums that are conceptually linked (Same Old Story and Circles, which have been released, and Home, which is forthcoming), these interlude albums act as a collection of singles that didn’t fit thematically on Home and took on a separate new life.
There’s a lot of old-school rock n’ roll twang in this album that flows through every strum of the guitar. One of the highlighted singles from the album, “Summer Blue,” manages the same kind of “Dad rock” vibe that acts like Foo Fighters have been championing over the last decade or so (typically denoting contemporary songs that are heavily influenced by classic rock).
In this case, there is longing for some fun in the sun while lamenting the cold with Flowers singing, “Cause I’m stuck in the dead of winter / Just trying to dig out of it / I don’t wanna wait forever / There’s nothing I can do.” The chorus rings with the repeating lyrics “summer blue,” marking this wintery purgatory that he’s stuck inside of.
Later, he reveals that he’s “in love with a girl named Summer,” and whether that’s supposed be taken literally or figuratively is not easily discernable, so there’s a possible double meaning in the lyrics: is he yearning for warm weather or a warm embrace? You’ll need to check it out to decide for yourself.
Like “Summer Blue,” each song on the album was written as a single, so each comes with a particularly strong pop hook that pulls you right into its world. Sometimes an album with no clear concept is a good idea because it allows each song to live for itself. It’s good vibes all around with an album like this where every song could have been a lead single.
Flavor of the Month is available on major streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. Follow our Alchemical Weekly Spotify Playlist for more great music featured on the site.
Charlie Maybee is a dancer, musician, educator, and writer based in Charleston, South Carolina who currently teaches with the Dance Program at the College of Charleston. His primary work as an artist is with his performing collective, Polymath Performance Project, through which he makes interdisciplinary performance art that centers tap dance as the primary medium of expression and research. He also currently plays rhythm guitar for the Charleston-based punk band, Anergy, and releases music as a solo artist under the name Nox Eterna.
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Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
