New Orleans Americana band The Subdudes has released a new album, Flower Petals. A concept album, Flower Petals loosely follows the story of a deceased soldier at the end of the 19th Century.
Far more stripped down than what is expected from The Subdudes, the album also lacks the catchy hooks of the band, leaving the songs floating in one ear and out the other.
Too Much Roll, Not Enough Rock, on Flower Petals
Though the album is considerably stripped down, the Subdudes still bring a heaping pile of groove to Flower Petals. The Subdudes know how to lay down a beat, and they do so with the controlled coolness of a coffeehouse full of beret-wearing beatniks. Even wearing proverbial cowboy hats, as they do on Flower Petals, their funky Delta roots still find a way to show.
Sticky grooves aside, there needs to be more in a good album, especially when a band is trying something new--as the Subdudes are doing on Flower Petals. Good songs contain both tension and resolution in order to create a musical journey. There is no tension in these songs, so there is no journey. In other words, there are no hooks for the grooves.
Even songs that start out strong, such as “Standing Water,” which begins with a promising intro, fizzle into blandness by the time the first verse is over.
It is ironic that a concept album like Flower Petals-- which tells a story through the album-- has trouble with its musical narrative. By reaching for a high-minded concept, the Subdudes dropped the heart of the song. The result is an album with all of the impact of a 5 year old giving a back rub.
The Blacksmith Song, My Soul, Salvage Lackluster Flower Petals
This is not to be said that there are no good songs on Flower Petals. After its uninspiring intro, Flower Petals opens strong with “The Flower and the Fire,” which is everything a listener expects from the Subdudes. In a sad way, “The Flower and the Fire” adds to the disappointment in the album because it is such a good song.
“The Blacksmith Song“, like “The Flower and the Fire,” has a solid groove to it, as well as a gospel-flavored melody highlighted by singer Tommy Malone’s soulful voice.
It is “My Soul (Soldier’s Release)” that is the finest song on Flower Petals. “My Soul” is a bluesy number with those great gospel overtones that the Subdudes do so well. It is meant to be the climax of the album’s narrative, but its impact is felt with or without the rest of “Flower Petals.” If one song should be saved to your Ipod from this album, it is “My Soul.”
Flower Petals is not an awful album. It has its bright spots, and has a good groove through the album that makes it suitable hammock music. But its lack of tension makes it the equivalent of musical potato chips. Flower Petals may taste alright at the moment, but will leave you hungry, as if you had eaten nothing at all.
Grade For the Subdudes: Flower Petals C+
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