A few years back, in another incarnation of this blog, either Sweet Immolation or Dead Cat Diaries, I mentioned an awesome band I’d stumbled across quite accidentally. The band called itself Ether Aura and I was caught up in their music right off because it hearkened to, but did not become a poor imitation, of the music I’d grown up with — with a modern twist. Lush, big and a hint of the not-quite-goth sounds I loved as a teenager. The best comparison I can make regarding their sound was that it was somewhere between Rose Chronicles and The Smiths…. Yeah… Hard to imagine, but true.
Several albums later, I was still intrigued with Ether Aura and I’d always bought their full releases soon after issuance or (usually) I prepaid before the release. The sound evolved and grew as everyone got comfortable in their roles and, then again, as bandmembers left and others crept in to take their place…
Then, with little warning, I received notice that Ether Aura was no more. The band had gone through so many changes in members and sound that the name no longer suited the current members. With some trepidation, I accepted the fact that Ether Aura had become The Blueflowers, as they announced a new sound and album. Ever faithful, I pre-ordered the debut album from the reworked band…
And I was not disappointed…
Watercolor Ghost Town may have a completely different sound compared to past incarnations of the band, but it captures the essence of what I enjoyed about the music created by Kate and Tony. Kate’s singing has less overt processing done to it, bringing out her beautiful voice. Tony’s guitar has similar chord progressions as the former days, but with a clean, stripped-down feel to the guitar. The newer member of the band round out the sound and give many of the songs a slight country sound to them — the good old country, Patsy and Hank, not the pulp sold on the streets today…
Slow tunes (“I Can’t Stop My Heart From Breaking”, “I Wasn’t Her”) are evenly balanced with more uptempo songs (“Just for Show”, “Watercolor Ghost Town”). I still hear a touch of Julianne Regan (All About Eve) and Kristy Thirsk (Rose Chronicles and her solo career) in Kate’s voice, which makes the tunes comfortable and easy to listen to. The production is also more stripped down feeling than in previous albums by the group and everything points back to a melodic back-to-basics approach.
While more downbeat than previous work by Ether Aura, The Blueflowers are putting out songs with high-quality songwriting, proving their talent is in much more than their previous name. I have no qualms recommending “Watercolor Ghost Town” to anyone who’s enjoyed the songs these two have helped create in the past.
Check out their songs at www.myspace.com/theblueflowersdetroit.
Tell them I sent ya.