The Flatliners – “Cavalcade”

Here’s the current attraction to the Flatliners: the new album was recorded in Woodbridge, Ontario, the band originated in and around the GTA and they spewed some of the most interesting ska-punk to come out in years on their 2005 debut Destroy To Create, and they still possess a pretty dynamic ability to balance force, typical punk tendencies, and vitriolic delivery.

The newest album from the local quartet was released on April 13th and sticks to their recent inclination to rely upon a more standardized punk formula and deliberately stray from their ska origins. In my opinion, this can be seen as a flaw, as their explosive debut presented one of the most interesting punk hybrids to ever come from Ontario. But, hey, what do I know?

The album, titled Cavalcade, stands closer to their sophomore effort, The Great Awake, than it does to their first record. The album initially bursts with real promise and, after a brief sample from the British spoof band Bad News, seems to indicate a tense anger behind the music. Unfortunately, this fades throughout the album, and is only truly reprised on the track titled “Shithawks” – oddly enough, again following a Bad News sample.

The strongest points on the record are driven by Chris Creswell’s spitting vocals and the supplement of some interesting guitars, but the weakest points of the record, and there really are too many, are marked by vocals which sound far too much like those of Gaslight Anthem – which is not a compliment – and a backing composition which is stale and uninteresting.

The record has bright moments, which are worth tuning in for, but these are too sparse and diffuse to truly support Cavalcade. To bad, because The Flatliners have the tools required to be a solid and enigmatic punk band.  [ END ]

Track Listing:

01. The Calming Collection
02. Carry The Banner
03. Bleed
04. Here Comes Treble
05. He Was a Jazzman
06. Shithawks
07. Monumental
08. Filthy Habits
09. Liver Alone
10. Sleep Your Life Away
11. Count Your Bruises
12. New Years Resolutions

Run Time: 39:22
Release Date: 04.13.2010