Gorgeous early Eighties jangling from LA's Exploding Flowers. Their latest album Stumbling Blocks, (their first in nine years), might remind you of anyone from dBs to Soft Boys to the Chills to to The Three O'Clock to The Church to Wire when they chose to chime rather than drone. Soft, Psychedelic Guitar Pop music of a determinedly optimistic disposition.
If you're of a certain vintage age wise, this is likely to take you back to the days when you heard this kind of thing for the first time. Exploding Flowers definitely sound like they might have been early Flying Nun contenders.
The one city the band really don't sound like they come from is LA frankly. The joy all over Stumbling Blocks is so unconstrained that it feels distinctly provincial, but in a good way, if that makes any sense. There's a happiness here than seems born in the great outdoors.
Although I did slightly tire of the relentless perkiness a few tracks in and wanted a bit more light and shade than this offers, in short sharp bursts Exploding Flowers are hard to beat. Catch them while they're still in bloom.
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