Flurish Review: The Sound Of Control

Drawing from influences like U2, Depeche Mode and The Cure, Flurish banded together to create intense, beautiful rock and roll and that’s exactly what they do. Over the years, their craft has matured as their sounds range from a flurry of athereal orchestral rock to 80’s electronic pop that makes you want to get up and move. Not only does Flurish constantly strive to reinvent the limits of pop music, but their unorthodox live performance has been turning heads for years. For such a massive, sweeping sound, one would be surprised to find only 2 guys onstage. How do they do it? One might ask. With the masterful use of technology and an electrifying dynamic, Flurish has discovered that 2 is all you need. When taking the stage, the band is confident in their ability to take the crowd to the next level, giving them something they’ve never seen before.

Review:
Generally when hearing a relatively unknown band for the first time, it’s easy to have a skeptical attitude; especially when that band is just two guys on stage with a guitar, drum set and a laptop. Despite these modest appearances, Flurish manages to create a unique alternative/electronic sound that does homage to their two biggest influences, U2 and Depeche Mode, while putting a darker, more modern spin on the music.

Started in 2001 by two high school friends from Tucson, Flurish has survived a move to Chattanooga, where lead singer, Ryan, and drummer, Rage, attended college; as well as losing two members. The band has since moved to Atlanta to take advantage of the friendly atmosphere surrounding budding, new acts in the alternative music scene and for a fresh start as a duo.

Though their tracks run the gamut from slow, sad and thoughtful (The Sound Of Control) to the more upbeat and fun track, Ready Unready, most of the tracks tend to share several traits: Ryan’s unique dramatic vocals (with surprisingly well-written lyrics for a small band) and a strong bass line that switches between simple bass guitar and a heavy, dirty techno sound (like on the track Bring The Noise Back). While at first it seems unusual to mix the two, on hearing Flurish’s sound, it’s easy to see how The Edge’s epic guitar and David Gahan’s dark vocals have influenced them.

While their songs tended to be a little similar, none of them were disappointing or badly performed. They have a sound that’s both unique and familiar and could easily fill stadiums if they’re ever given a shot at the mainstream. Even if you hate electronica, but love alternative rock, or vice versa, odds are that you’ll enjoy Flurish. They’re definitely worth checking out.

Review by Emma Loggins

Grade: A
Official site: htttp://www.flurish.net
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