AWmusic

Often, as a music reviewer, I have the onerous task of trying to compare a band with other bands in order to give readers an idea of just what an album might sound like. If you like X then you will probably like Y. The problem with this is that sometimes what I hear as Radiohead you might hear as Muse so I hate making comparisons no matter how necessary it might be. Every now and then a band comes along and makes this job easier, they either sound like a clone of another popular band (in which case they may get justifiably pilloried) or they sound like nothing else out there currently (in which case they often die in obscurity or cultivate a cult following). Flotilla is one of the later, however, I really have my fingers crossed that they will buck the odds and become, if not household names, popular enough to enjoy a long, and happy, career.

Flotilla hails from Montreal, the depth of that musical scene being (it seems) unlimited, and this album, One Hundred Words for Water has been getting a lot of critical acclaim. Exclaim! said, “…stands out as one of the most original and engaging albums released by a new Canadian group recently.” and NPR said, “Flotilla offers an interesting alternative to today’s indie-rock stereotypes. Just when you think you understand what a song is all about, it shifts and turns into something different.” I have to agree with these assessments. I know I’m late jumping on the bandwagon, this album having been released last summer, but let me just say better late than never.

The songs are bright and clean, the mix is nicely balanced and there is no muddiness or production excesses. The songs are allowed to speak for themselves, Veronica Charnley’s clear, pure vocals sit on top of the melodies without overpowering them. Charnley’s voice is light and ephemeral at times but never floating away ungrounded. The arrangements are nicely balanced, not so dense as to become hard to listen to but not quite minimalist either. They showcase Charnley’s vocals, which is the centerpoint of the album, everyone knows their jobs and they perform them very well. The songs have space to breathe which gives them a spaciousness and warmth that is often missing in experimental music these days. Because of this the interesting melodies, and countermelodies are allowed to pass each other without getting in each others way. They bob and weave through the songs like dancers. The band keeps the songs stimulating with interesting time signatures that often make 180 degree turns taking the songs in a completely different direction without warning.

The songs themselves are an eclectic mix with jazz and funk influences. There is even a nod to Joni Mitchell. Flotilla took the title and the essence of Court and Spark but moved it in a different direction, where Mitchell’s song is light, Flotilla’s is dark. “I will separate the lies from the (dark) while you wait outside to court and spark” I really liked this song a lot but then I like dark. Other stand out tracks are Charlie, I’m Through, a rocky tune with a catchy chorus; Ophelia, an ethereal song about loneliness; Ghost in a Landscape, and Two Boys. But to single out these tunes is to ignore the other tunes which are equally outstanding. The strength of these songs lies in the fact that Charnley has assumed that the listener is intelligent with a modicum of imagination, therefore, the songs meanings are partially sketched out but really left up to the individual to decide. This gives the songs immediate accessibility, the listener feels intimately connected to the music because only they know what the song means to them.

The band consists of Charnley (vocals, guitar); Geof Holbrook (bass, keyboards, electronics, vocals); Eveline Grégoire-Rousseau (harp), and Benoit Monière (drums). They have one other record Disaster Poetry which is available on Zunior. You can buy One Hundred Words for Water here and as always you can find out more about the band on their MySpace page

Flotilla – Court and Spark
Flotilla – Ghost in a Landscape
Flotilla – Charlie, I’m Through