Thursday, April 07, 2016

Band Review: Chainflower


I have been listening to Chainflower all week, but I still don't feel like I have a grip on them.

Part of this is that they are hard to place among the other bands I have listened to. When pressed they say they are alternative rock, but they have a harder edge than is common among alternative bands, still without going over into metal. Lead singer Erika Renee has been compared to Siouxsie Sioux, and that sounds like it could be right.

The other issue is that there isn't a lot of material available. There are four songs via Spotify, and two videos, with one being just a very short trailer. I see no upcoming shows.

This may be a result of the band's composition. The members have all worked in other bands, which could limit the time available for this one.

This is especially true of Kelly Wheeler, whose many projects include Jane's Addiction, PsiCom, SexTapes, and Ultraject. In fact, it was Erika's response to Ultraject's search for a new singer that led to the formation of Chainflower. With her distinctive voice, you can imagine how it could lead to a change in direction.

Despite the lack of resources, it should be pretty easy to tell if you will like this band. The best start would probably be to listen to "The Fever". This song does a good job of displaying their assets and abilities.

Then, if you do like it, it looks like the Twitter account is the most frequently updated, and following there would be a good start.




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