Hundred Year Flood
blue angel
Frogville Records
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For a group of such upbeat people, so prone to smiles and Texas charm, the folks who make up Hundred Year Flood-Bill Palmer, Felicia Ford, Jim Palmer and Kendra Lauman-certainly can write some introspective, dare I say dark, songs. Case in point is
blue angel
, the group's newest disc, recorded here at the studios of local label Frogville Records. The subdued vibe of the record is there even before cracking open the CD case-the slightly blurry, obscured shades of blue, the photograph of just a portion of a steering wheel, the spectral title all point to what's inside. And what's inside is indeed spectral too, a haunting, understated beauty of a record.
What's initially noticeable about the disc is the lyrical theme of questions and quotes: The first line of the entire album is a question. "What was it you said/when everything was good?" Bill Palmer sings in the opener, named "I Love You Still." And the reply is a quote: "'It's easier to undertand/than to be understood.'" It's an under-the-radar motif that weaves its way in and out of the entire disc, and one that works to make the emotions of
blue angel
personal, real and relatable. Similarly, the Flood's strength proves to be their ability to sneak subtle, simple imagery into their songs. The references to "torn and worn out hands," or "restless hearts" with "their belly to the bars" provide tangible anchors for ethereal songs.
And then there's the music itself. The Flood is evolving, clearly moving down a thoughtful track, allowing their songs to unfold at their own pace. There are Jim Palmer's always shimmering drums, his brother Bill's echoed guitars, Lauman's barely there bass and, of course, Ford's intense, balls-out vocals. On the song "Pour Over Me," Ford's voice is so drenched in vibrato, she sounds like Stevie Nicks singing opera arias; in fact, the entire song sounds less like the Flood's usual Americana and more like the weird, rich California rock of Fleetwood Mac.
Such forays into different musical worlds are what mark the Flood's current evolution. Songs like "Take a Chance," with its needle-sharp guitar fills and subtle tempo, or "Kingdom of Cold," which interweaves traditional-sounding pedal steel with almost Johnny Marr-esque fretwork, foretell the future of Hundred Year Flood. This is a band that's going places, not just in terms of their collective career, but in terms of their ability to branch out from their country roots.
