It seems with every new year there is always an up and coming band with all the right attributes that allow them to slay festivals and airwaves, all the while still being in High School or having just completed it. While this is a mostly true statement, what sets The Districts apart from similarly situated acts is that they’ve been doing the band thing for a while now, and sophomore release A Flourish and a Spoil goes about showing just how well they have their music down pat.
Their scuzzy sound, distorted vocals and visceral reality of the loudness within the album is as far removed from the conservative background of their childhood community and suburb of Lititz, Pennsylvania. Citing influences from The Beatles, The Clash, and The Rolling Stones, it is easy to see where The Districts have found inspiration for the shaping of A Flourish and A Spoil.
Opening track “4th and Roebling” has a murky opening that quickly opens up into an honest, indicative verse and chorus for what to expect from the remaining 10 tracks of the LP. Front man Rob Grote’s admission that many of the tracks were based around experiences of the band whilst growing up in Lititz is no sleight on the genuine nature of the tracks. “Peaches” has an anthemic chorus, that when combined with its boisterous outro has 'festival favourite' written all over it. “Chlorine” is a little reminiscent of the earliest material of Alabama Shakes, with it’s slow burning build throughout the track, and from it’s subtle and quiet opening, to the hypnotic drum beat and whirlwind close over the latter stages.
One thing A Flourish and a Spoil has going for it is the DIY aesthetic in much of the record. Enlisting producer John Congleton to help out on the album, The Districts’ garage-esque recording style definitely works in their favour, allowing the listener to connect with the songs as if they were written especially for them.
“Hounds” opens with a The Black Keys likeness, before culminating in a raucous close with the repetition of the near emo lyric ‘hounds in my head’. "Suburban Smell” is a sweet little acoustic number that could well have been recorded in anyone’s bedroom and uploaded to Youtube in an attempt to gain notice from a record executive; while “Bold” opens with two minutes of almost-ballad song writing, before losing control (in a good way) in the proceeding final minute. One of the more sobering lyrics of the entire album is on this track, with Grote commenting on the relative lack of worries in his own life, when compared to that of his brother: ‘I’m wide awake and my brother’s not home. He’s learning war in fatigues.'
A Flourish and a Spoil reaches it’s peak with near nine-minute masterpiece “Young Blood”, a song with three distinct sections, ultimately ending with riffage that will leave any guitarist satisfied (I for one am not a guitarist, but was still very pleased with it; that’s how good the song is). Album closer “Rocking Chair” is an entirely fulfilling and reflective affair, with the band trying their best to tie up any loose ends within the album. The bluesiest of any of the tracks, “Rocking Chair” invokes imagery of lost loves and flashbacks to the fun times of young adulthood.
For a band still in their infancy (in both age and career), The Districts have ticked plenty of boxes with A Flourish and a Spoil. Here’s hoping they continue with their honest approach on future recordings.
Review Score: 7.3 out of 10
A Flourish and a Spoil is available now.
