Monday 9 January 2023

Flower - The Contrarian (Guest Review By Ralph J Rivera)

  


  How do I write a review for an album I've listened to every day since it was released on December 26th, 2022? Well I'm gonna give it my best shot and hope you all give this one a listen.

  "Flower" from Brooklyn, NY have made quite the impact already on the modern "Crust Punk/Anarcho" scene. Since 2017 they have released 3 hard as hell to find cassettes that set the new bar pretty high. Consisting of Danny on vocals, Willow on guitar, Mar on bass and Calder on drums. This powerhouse has already been compared to all the greats of the past (Sacrilege, Amebix, Antisect and Nausea) which all comes through in their blistering attacks on religion, gentrification and prejudice. But I don't think anyone was prepared for this full length album "Hardly A Dream".

  Currently available as a download on their Bandcamp and pre-orders are up over at "Profane Existence"  https://profaneexistence.storenvy.com/products/36347656-flower-hardly-a-dream-lp




  If this masterpiece had been released earlier it would have topped many lists for Album Of The Year, including mine. 12 songs of thoroughly modern Crust Punk classics that range from full on ragers to nearly psychedelic jams that remind me of the legendary "Iowaska". To me the crowning achievement is the 9th song "The Contrarian" in which singer Danny completely vents her spleen in a nearly spoken word explosion of rage. I can't recommend this album enough and if it matters I personally pre-ordered the LP/T-Shirt bundle! When 2023 comes to an end I can't see anything topping this for AOTY.


  This is The Contrarian... 

ABOVE ALL, GUILT PREVAILS. WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, THERE IS STILL FEAR. WHAT A FORTUITOUS TOOL TO BUILD UP THE WALLS OF OUR OWN PENS. KEPT IN KENNELS, COWERING AWAY FROM THE THREAT OF EXILE. DISINTEGRATE! THE ACTION OF OUR LIFE FORCE. DENY THE INTERNAL, INDULGE THE LEARNED ACTION OF SELF DOUBT. UNWITTINGLY, WE HAVE ABSORBED THE SUPERIOR MENTALITY OF AMERICA. AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE REGARDED AS CONSCIOUS, HERE IS WHERE GUILT STILL PREVAILS. THEY SUBVERT THEIR OWN OPINIONS, TO GRASP AT ABSOLVEMENT. REVEALING- THEORY IS PERFORMANCE. DIVULGING- FEAR AS A SELF CONCERN! FOR THERE IS MUCH TO FEAR, WHEN UNITY’S FOCUS IS ON OUR CONTRASTS. WHEN APOLOGY IS THE MOTIVE FOR ALL GESTURE. A CHANCE SELF SABOTAGE IS A SINISTER LEAD FOR OUR CAPTORS. HALTING PROGRESS, USING REFUSAL AS A FOOTHOLD TO BOLSTER A PERSONAL STEP AT THE EXPENSE OF AN ALREADY NEBULOUS CAUSE. NOT ONE CORRUPTION CHANGES, FOR NO ACTION IS MADE. AN AGREEMENT REMAINS UNDONE, THE IDEA PRIMARILY SEEKING PRAISE. ASHAMED FOR THAT IMPULSE, AND LOATHE TO REFLECT; POINT A FINGER, BLAME! AND HERE IT REMAINS, STILL YET, NO CHANGE IS MADE. NO CONSENSUS, NOT EVEN A TRUE-HEARTED MISTAKE. GUILT. MARRIED TO THE STRUGGLE, AS IF A VICTORY IS A LOSS OF ONE’S OWN NAME. LIKE THE HESITATION TO SOLVE A PUZZLE AND FACE THE LIGHT BURDEN OF BOREDOM. ABHORRENCE OF CHANGE. PRIVILEGE, FEAR. FIND THE PURPOSE NOT IN THE PURITY OF THE EFFORT ITSELF, OR THE FATEDLY IMPERFECT STEPS THERE. BUT RATHER, IN THE PRODUCT, THE MOVEMENT, THE WHEELS THAT TURN IN THE DIRECTION OF PROGRESS. THE GRACIOUS ACCEPTANCE OF FLAW, IN THE NAME OF A NEW POSSIBILITY. SHEDDING THE NOTIONS OF FALSE SCARCITY, AS THE NARROWING IS NOT IN THE ABUNDANCE OF IDEAS BUT IN ITS CREATORS IMPOTENCE. FEAR. GUILT. INACTION. DISINTEGRATE, REGRESS. REGAIN INNOCENT CONSCIOUSNESS AS HUMILITY PREVAILS.


  

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