By Erin Caine
Elm Staff Writer
Three years ago, five greater Manchester, England natives came together to form the indie band Blossoms. Back in August, they released a debut self-titled album that bubbles over with energy in every track with its 80s-esque synths and retro charm; NME’s Mark Beaumont calls the effort “a heroic blend of radio-friendly guitar pop and bristling disco.”
The album begins with “Charlemagne,” which Michael Smith of Renowned for Sound describes in his review: “Stylistically, Blossoms’ self-titled album teeters between indie rock and pop, depending on the track in question. [‘Charlemagne’] opens in full blown pop mode with sparkling synths and simple yet infectious melodies introducing the album perfectly.” He goes on to add that Blossoms “quickly dips into simpler rock and pop tracks, each with a slight throwback feel to it that intensifies as the album reaches its end, though most notably appearing in the smooth, catchy groove of ‘Blown Rose.’” It is this very “throwback feel” that the band seems to be banking on, but their debut is spared the “gimmick” label purely on account of their contagious, jaunty energy. Illustrating this is the second track, “At Most a Kiss,” which, though clean and simple and extremely reminiscent of ‘80s new wave bands such as The Cure, is catchy enough to grab your attention, and its overall sound and feeling are fresh enough to keep it. A surprising riff in the middle here, a moody, pulsating rhythm there, and the track manages to refrain from dipping into mediocrity.
It is about midway through the album, however, that there is a notable shift in mood. Beaumont in his review observes that “something interesting happens” during the piano-driven “Onto Her Bed,” Midway through glacial, nostalgic piano ballad ‘Onto Her Bed,’ the song dissolves in a swarm of poltergeist atmospherics before it hits the chorus and Blossoms begin exposing roots, prodding boundaries. ‘Texia’ and ‘Cut Me And I’ll Bleed’ embrace New Order’s murder-on-the-dancefloor aesthetic. ‘Blown Rose’ finds singer Tom Ogden celebrating ‘the stately homes of England’ from amidst a foliage of bristling electro-jangle reminiscent of Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr’s Electronic.” Indeed, there are sudden distinctions between one half of the album and the other half, “Onto Her Bed” serving as the median of those halves. “Texia” picks up with a new energy, dispersing its Cure-esque atmosphere for a more modern sound that seems more evocative of groups such as the Arctic Monkeys. Third from the end of the album, “My Favourite Room” starts up unexpectedly with Ogden’s riffing on an acoustic guitar, and the song bends Blossoms’ sound into a different genre for a moment (less “lively ‘80s synth-pop” and more “mellow, sentimental acoustic ballad.”) The album closes with “Deep Grass,” which Beaumont describes as a track that “[delves] into full-on psychotronic blues scree,” and indeed it’s a nice and dreamy conclusion to an overall well-executed debut, the bass line thrumming gently over the sounds of keyboard, sparse synths, and Ogden’s melodic vocals.
Though Blossoms manages in each song to produce a sound that harkens in some way back to another time, another group, another style, this is a debut that’s not without a wealth of fresh ideas and its own distinguishing charm. It’ll certainly be interesting to see where the band goes from here, and if somewhere along the road they’ll discover a unique, distinctive sound to set them apart from their indie predecessors.
