The Flesh

Firetower

(Gern Blandsten)

Record Review by Amber Henson

The Flesh is high energy and professional rock fun. Gabriella Zappia, the band’s lead singer, sounds, at times like a young Gwen Stefani, and at other times like Karen O in her crazy moments.  Firetower has a raw sound to it that sucks you in and makes one feel like they’re watching them in concert.

First let’s discuss Zappia’s voice.  Sometimes, like in track two, “The Cradle, The Brothel, and The Bible School,” it doesn’t entirely fill up the song, it's kind of strained and in the background.  But other times, like on “In Paradise,” it’s still low, but kind of stretches into your brain.  Besides being reminiscent of Stefani and Karen O as mentioned above, she also sounds like she could have been the lead singer of The Cranberries or Siouxsie and the Banshees.

“In Paradise” is one of the most interesting tracks on the album.  It has an addictive stop/start energetic ska sound.  It sounds almost foreign but has that melodic hook that’s distinctly American.  With lyrics like “You and I, we know we’re gonna die, know we’re gonna die in paradise,” this track in the middle of the album makes one salivate for the other half.

The men of the band are Pete Angevine on drums, Jason Binnick on bass, and Nat Halpern on guitar.  This group works together very well to put forward a sound that is sometimes punk on guitar, ska on drums, and some kind of musical noir on bass; “Compulsion”made me think of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal,” the best-known piece of musical noir.

The Flesh used to be more R&B but if this is the only album of theirs you’ve heard, you wouldn’t not be able to guess that in a million years.  And good for them.  Change is positive.  Or, in this case, ridiculously addictive.