Opening with something that sounds like a song you’d hear on the tape deck of one of those Blade Runner flying cars, Flasher‘s debut full-length album, Constant Image, is strongly self-assured post-punk. That opening track, “Go,” encourages you to “suck it up” and get ready for a fast ride.
“Pressure” builds with its namesake until the chorus, and even then it doesn’t let up too much. Daniel Saperstein‘s bass seems like it’s all over the place, but he grounds the tune like metal stakes into circus tent loops. I like how Saperstein’s vocals blend with those of Emma Baker (drums) and Taylor Mulitz (guitar) on “Sun Come and Golden.” The whole track has a brightness to it, but it doesn’t ignore the shadows caused. “Material” raises the attitude of the record, as Mulitz’s vocals border on snotty punk and throw down the right amount of tongue-in-cheek sass.
Mulitz’s guitar buzzes like a green hornet on “XYZ.” It’s one of the hottest cuts on the record as Flasher sing about self-introspection and the expectations of their generation and the ones before and after them. As good as it is, “Who’s Got Time?” is even better. Saperstein unloads on it. It has a rough urgency and is yet highly danceable. “Skim Milk” was their first single, and it’s easy to hear why they chose it. Mulitz’s guitar is precise and fuzzy when it needs to be, Baker keeps time and thrashes when she needs to, and Saperstein keeps up his serial killing of bass grooves. Their triple vocals weave together well and it’s pretty much everything you want in a post-punk song.
There’s a neat piano riff underlining “Harsh Light” while Mulitz sings, “Every corner that you turn, you never learn.” Good grief, can’t we all relate to that at times? “Punching Up” has a bit of a punch-drunk beat to it, with Baker providing co-lead vocals and a Pixies-like rhythm. The Pixies influence is thick on the entire track with its back-and-forth bouncing between soothing guitars and heavy distortion. “Business Unusual” would be a great name for a TV show or comic book, but it’s instead about a “man, now a boy in blue, this whole world’s got it out for you.” It also throws in some saxophone (a welcome addition to any post-punk record) with the quirky guitars and the repeated question from Flasher – “What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?”
It’s the last lyric of the album. Are they asking us to reflect and perhaps realize it isn’t that bad? Are they asking us to forgive ourselves? The name of the album is, after all, Constant Image. We all constantly project different images of ourselves, and often to cover up what we think are horrible flaws but are usually things about which no one cares. Most of the things we worry about never happen. Flasher want us to know this, I think. We should thank them for the reminder. You can do it by buying this record.
Keep your mind open.
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