by Kris Handel (@khandel84)
Corey Flood’s first full length album Hanging Garden is nine songs of off kilter yet stunning guitar pop from this Philadelphia based trio that hits touchstones of power-pop, hazy Flying Nun psych-pop and at times haunting post-punk. This LP follows a promising EP that showed a band that had some highly creative songwriting that was ready to truly grow into something remarkable with a little more nurturing. On these recordings Ivy Gray-Klein’s bass bops and slopes around Em Boltz’s jangling wiry and flexible at will guitar work through these tunes that make it hard to do anything else but focus on their glory. Gray-Klein’s vocals are often somewhat laid-back in their approach but there is a melancholy in them that is striking and honest which adds a fascinating tone to the ear catching melodies in these songs.
When Corey Flood accentuate the more swirling psych inspired moments on tracks like “Honey” and “Hive Mind” there is an energy that jumps out and grabs your attention from the start. The former is jump started by Juliette Rando’s kick drum and Gray-Klein’s bass that slowly bounds through guitar work that is prone to explosive blasts of distortion pierced with ringing riffs. “Hive Mind” has a bit of a The Clean vibe as Boltz’s guitar ethereally cycles through wavy leads and Rando’s drums charge and pull everything tightly together for ninety seconds of beauty. “Crush” is a moment of brightness as Boltz’s vocals soar evocatively over a sparse expression of ever-changing emotions that brings forth intricate and crushing musicianship.
Hanging Garden’s twenty minutes go by fast, but each song leaves a lingering impression and it is hard to shake the experience of hearing it. To have a record that stays with you as an emotional experience is immensely powerful and Corey Flood have managed to produce an album, that is at times overwhelming in its moodier moments, is quite oddly comforting. Gray-Klein’s lyrics are sparse and poetic which allows for the band to float and stretch their melodic powers be it with spacey forays or tightly wound and spiky pop nuggets. Hanging Garden is a record that has songs that are punchy and shine brightly yet carries a heaviness that often pops its head in from time to time adding a delightful complexity to this collection of captivating songs.