Flaunt – Rave Noir (No label) CD REVIEW

flauntravenoircoverTHE AMERICAN DUO OF Justin Jennings and Joseph Vitterito collided riding the social media gauntlet, quickly delivering their debut album CODON as Flaunt in 2014. They describe the follow-up, Rave Noir, as an attempt to be reminiscent of what radio used to sound like pre becoming multi-format. That is you mightโ€™ve heard hard rock followed by schmaltzy pop followed by funk etc.

To achieve musical eclecticism is a difficult task and carries with it precedents like the Todd Rundgren and Frank Zappa repertoires that cast a daunting shadow indeed. Flaunt certainly give it a good stab and their goal is successful to an extent. Funnily enough, what we get is a pretty cohesive collection with only a couple of tracks that really stick out as being quite different from the one before, like the โ€˜60s-influenced โ€˜You Sure Know How To Hurt Someoneโ€™.

Mostly the music is a fairly conventional blend of rock drums, bass and guitar alternating with synthesizer and programmed drum patterns, sometimes within the same song. String section samples interrupt parts of โ€˜This Is What Happens When You Let Me Downโ€™ to create an interesting contrast but the singular (and very accomplished) lead vocals of the entire Rave Noir only serve to help meld the material together and therefore fight against the desired goal. As a result, Flaunt have arrived at their sound, rendering any real moments of musical difference as more the exception than the rule and surplus to requirements. This amounts to an overly-long program that wouldโ€™ve been strengthened by some fat-trimming or at least track re-sequencing to bring forward some of the landmarks to punctuate proceedings and hold interest earlier in the piece.

flauntjungleSo a tighter structure and a few more hooks around the place wouldโ€™ve further complimented what are finely-wrought musical performances rendered with a pleasing sonic sheen that is not overly brick-walled. So Flauntโ€™s second album is very listenable and speaker-friendly, but it frustratingly stops just short of the big wow. PETER KEARNS

Sound =4/5

Music = 3/5

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Give a little to support Witchdoctor's quest to save high quality independent journalism. It's easy and painless! Just donate $5 or $10 to our PressPatron account by clicking on the button below.

Authors

WIn a Wiim Ultra Network Music Streamer with Witchdoctor.co.nz
Panasonic Fire TV Be Mesmerised with next gen AI TV
Advance Paris - Designed with French flair. Amplifiers, Streamers, CD players and more www.pqimports.co.nz
Previous Story

Tannoy Prestige Gold Reference Series FIRST LISTEN

Next Story

Ronjo V – Ronjoism (Major Label Records) CD REVIEW

Latest from Albums

Let there be drums!

Six diverse percussion compositions performed by virtuosic musician Justin DeHart challenge common notions about the most primal of instruments.

The format wars suck

GARY STEEL has been thinking about vinyl vs. streaming vs. compact discs (etc) and just wants it all to stop.
Go toTop