Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Here's My Hello From Where The Filthy Flowers Grow

I first came across Thomas Function on the Obscure Sound blog and on the strength of hearing a couple of songs bought the album Celebration. It's great. As simple as that.

It's good sometimes to hear music without any prior knowledge/reference points/baggage. It turns out they (a four-piece band rather than a person) are from Alabama, signed to a label based in California, with an album recorded in Ohio at the legendary Suma studios. But that doesn't tell you about the music.

After a few listens I'm still hearing different bands, from different decades. There's some alt-roots-rock (Filthy Flowers could - almost - be Green on Red); there's stomping punky garage rock (Can't Say No), there's late 70s power-pop meets new wave (Swimming Through a Sea of Broken Glass) and in the yelping, nasal whine of vocalist Joshua Macero I hear both Violent Femmes AND the Buzzcocks at different times. So a refreshing breathe of old air. But still sounding fresh. Highly, highly recommended.

I think Can't Say No could be on a end of year compilation or two ...

Thomas Function
Celebration [BUY]

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