Album Review: Blooming – The Light Rail Sessions by Crooked Flowers

#byLizPublika

When I first heard Blooming – The Light Rail Sessions, the new album from the Berkeley-based band Crooked Flowers, I was immediately struck by how much the record embodies classic rock elements from yesteryear. I must admit that the strong sense of nostalgia I was immediately flooded with took me by surprise; it made me realize just how much I miss music that is intricate, includes an old school application of music theory, and generally seems to create an acoustic experience that is rarely found in mainstream media today.

Released on July 8th of this year, the album consists of seven tracks; six if you count the two versions of the opening song, “Came to Me in Dreams.” Much like the most famous bands throughout the 70s and 80s, the band recorded tracks that tend to be between four and seven minutes long, some with fairly cool intros. Though the majority of Blooming – The Light Rail Sessions, is in fact inline with the classic rock genre, a few tracks also feature elements of pop and alternative music, primarily conveyed by the singer’s vocals. The range is nice, since it prevents the album from sounding the same throughout.

Personally, I really like both versions of “Came to Me in Dreams.” I also dig “No More” and “Loosing Time” precisely for their trippy sounds and retro hippy vibes. But, mellower tracks such as “Coming Back” and “Who You Are” are also quite enjoyable, even though they are not what I normally tend to listen to. Similarly, “Go Back, Go Back” is not a track I would download to listen to on my own, but it is a great addition to the playlist in context with the rest of the album. In other words, each song is really good on its own and adds something to the overall album.

The band is comprised of four members. Angelina Dang is responsible for the vocals, keyboards, and guitar. Daniel Erik is on bass, while Dan Ingberman is also on guitar. Drums and percussion are supplied by Patrick Shields. According to the press release: “The four members have recorded several albums at Green Day's Jingletown Studios in Oakland, with Lee Bothwick (Green Day) engineering and Gordon Brislawn (The Expendables; Journey) producing.” Their latest release seems to fall under the categories of psychedelic and jam rock. Check out more from Crooked Flowers, and give their new album, Blooming – The Light Rail Sessions, a listen.

Note* Album provided for objective review by our partners.

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