Joan Of Arc – Flowers (Album Review)

Joan Of Arc have been around for over a decade, churning out experimental Indie rock gaining them fans from all over and pissing off some critics along the way. Really though, is a band worth anything if they don’t piss off some critics? For me it’s kind of a prerequisite. Most of the books I own were banned at one point or are controversial, and many of the albums I own and artist I love have pissed many in the music media off. Tim Kinsella (the only permanent member of the group) is a humble, well grounded genius in my opinion. He has been a part of numerous bands, Cap’n Jazz being one of the more well known and after it’s breakup – Joan of Arc was born. Often under-appreciated for the contributions to music and inspirations that Tim, Cap’n Jazz and Joan of Arc have given to many bands and artist. (We Are Scientists and Scary Kids Scaring Kids both named after Cap’n Jazz songs) The thing about experimental music is that it can be quite a risk, critics often do not get it, for fans it is either hit or miss and being that the music is not constructed in a typical fashion it can be difficult for the music to have a high replay value or a lasting impression. Meanwhile, other Artist get to pick out bits and pieces of what they like, incorporate them into their music and ironically get more popularity then the band/artist that deeply inspired them ever did. Add the fact that our society is all bout ‘Instant Gratification’ and we all have become at least a little ADD, people have less patience for music that doesn’t contain repetitive instruments and catchy hooks. Does that mean experimental music is on its way out? on the contrary I think it will grow, however it will become more competitive, only the better bands/artist will survive. Joan of Arc is one of those bands that makes music that will survive. The group first and foremost loves music and loves to play music; which you can hear in their albums, especially Flowers. I have to admit, I wasn’t someone you’d call a fan of Joan of Arc and I didn’t really know exactly what to expect when Polyvinyly Records so graciously sent this album over.

Tim Kinsella told Absolute Punk humbly in an Interview back in March that

“I don’t think Joan of Arc is going to win over any new fans”

Well Tim, I have to respectfully disagree with you because with this new album Flowers you have won yourself a new fan, and also, every person I have played the record for has become a fan as well and I expect more fans are to come.

The Biggest Surprise Yet in '09

Flowers is Joan of Arc’s 10th Album and is quite possibly their best effort to date. Despite being written off and dismissed by some in the music media (who frankly, don’t know what their talking about) Joan Of Arc respond with an album that delivers a critical blow. Flowers is a very collaborative record, as in the band members all having a strong input into the album. The group was said to have entered the studio hardly prepared, almost no songs written, no instruments. What Joan of Arc did though, was play music that felt right. The mantra being “if it feels good, do it”. Some would call this risky or lazy. Risky would be more suited for a band that was a billboard brat, headlining sold out shows across the world and possibly losing it all. Lazy? Flowers comes no where near the word. The only thing really risky about it is perhaps alienating your fan base. Although the record differs from Boo Human Joan Of Arc pull it off brilliantly with a well rounded record that if your ears were allowed to make one purchase this year, it would be Flowers. Employing various instruments rather well, and perfectly placed samples, this lush sonic journey that you embark on from the album’s opener ‘Fogbow’ pulls you in slowly, handling the listener carefully as not to frighten you away. When ‘Garden Of Cartoon Exclamations’ kicks in, your now immersed in what seems like a dream world – where thoughts find formation, contradictions collide, sound is stretched and molded into titillating rhythms and harmonies, typical song structures are thrown out the window and the album is peppered with witty, clever lyrics.
The song names, the fact that the tittle track ‘flowers’ is an instrumental, the way you can’t pin down this record – the fat bold middle finger to standard musical conventions, lyrics like
“Nothing bounces one’s step like hitting bottom”
are what make this album an absolute surprise, a sucker punch like one I received one summer from an older kid named Brandon. (whom I will track down one of these days) I’m trying to find something less praising to balance my review and the best thing I can come up with is this. The album may not be for everyone, sure it is different then what you may usually listen to, it’s Arty but Arty in a way that it should be, a way that you’d want it to be. The albums plural title suggest how it works on more than one level. How what I think ‘Flowers’ is best served with (summer nights, deep thinking, social gatherings) another listener may differ in his/her opinion and find something completely different for the album to soundtrack. What is universal is that each listen unravels the album more and more as if your plucking the petals of the “Flowers” – each ‘pluck’ is more rewarding then the last. The instrumental tracks initially worried me, and I expected to grow tired of them, yet I still find myself coming back to them as much as the tracks with vocals.
Flowers is best served in it’s entirety, however many of the tracks can hold their own. If your new to Joan Of Arc then set some time aside and listen to this album from start to finish. If it doesn’t catch you right away, give it a little time. This album has a strong ability to really grow on you in a way you wouldn’t expect, I certainly didn’t. If you are familiar with Joan Of Arc but abandoned them for whatever reason, now is the time to come back to them. This album may very well disintegrate any doubts you had about the band. If you are a current fan and haven’t pre-ordered the album then I highly suggest you delay no further and jump into this experience that musicians will be copying for years to come. Hear what happens when you throw out the plan and the formula and actually create something euphoric where others have failed.

Click to Listen and/or Download
Joan Of Arc – Garden Of Cartoon Exclamations

Polyvinyl Records Teamed up with Absolute Punk to bring you a Joan Of Arc Contest. Check the details below and enter today!

In celebration of Joan of Arc’s upcoming album Flowers, we’re throwing a contest where you’ll be eligible to win some great Joan of Arc stuff. The first prize winner will receive a signed LP and CD of Flowers, a T-shirt, some buttons, and six other Joan of Arc releases!

Joan Of Arc Contest

Joan Of Arc Official Website
Polyvinyl Records