record review: What Laura Says - Bloom Cheek

What Laura Says is a group of very talented musicians from Phoenix, Arizona who have been on Devendra Banhart's list for a while now. Their second album, Bloom Cheek, reflects their defining quality as a band: that is, their sound escapes the confines of normalcy, it expands and settles in your brain, drawing out colours and tones that you never realized existed. Bloom Cheek is divided between the first half of the album, which is more straightforwardly rock (in the Americana direction with a tinge of Southern intimacy) and its experimental second half. “Tape It” is airy, like early Who and “Lamb Hair” delivers like a fresher, more spirited Animal Collective. The title track is slow and emotive, like what John Mayer’s music would be if he weren’t a self involved douche bag. The chirpy keyboards and floating harmonies of some songs (“Lines and Colours”) contrast brightly with the choppy, reggae-structure of others (“Spoke”). The album is a winner because it’s eclectic but not in an ADHD way. It’s vivid and flows like a trip to the record store with numerous unrelated finds, dissimilar in everything but the fact that you love them all.

3.7/5

Bloom Cheek was originally slated for a 6 July release but the date was expedited to today. preview it below and pick it up at your local record shop or, better yet, at a show. this band is definitely a force to behold live, check out their MYSPACE
for tour dates (they play CDN on July 7th)