Posted on: May 15, 2009 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

The quiet, at times deadpan sound of The Flying Change during “Broken Bow” reminds me of the music from Natural Born Killers; the hints of hope that play at the periphery is pretty much the only thing that distinguishes it as being different in terms of general sound. The amount of bass in the track marks the only thing negative about this introductory track; it engulfs some of the band’s most important elements. “The Mayo Clinic” continues the half-talked, half-sung vocals while coming forth with a slightly more country approach to things.

The styles of music that The Flying Change broach during “Pain Is A Reliable Signal” is not enough to have the band change things at the drop of a dime, but provide listeners with the band sliced ten different ways. For example, there is almost a Caribbean type of influence that is present during the introduction of “Dirty White Coats”. While there is a tremendous amount of cohesion to be had during “Pain Is A Reliable Signal”, it seems as if The Flying Change struggle with keeping things completely interesting. There is a tendency that can be heard here for the band to fall in a rut; while there may be minor changes in the band’s sound, there does not seem to be present the memorable content that will keep the band’s name on interested listeners’ tongues.

“St. Marys” is one of the tracks that showcases a direction that The Flying Change could take on subsequent albums. There is more of a grittier, more echo-heavy approach to this track, drawing on a tradition that follows from early Flaming Lips and Radiohead and leading through the current day, that represents a break with the dominant trends present on “Pain Is A Reliable Signal”. This title is solid taken single by single, but if listeners listen to all 10 cuts, I have a feeling that some of the magic that they see in The Flying Change will dissipate.

Top Tracks: Dirty White Coats, Don’t Look Away

Rating: 6.8/10

The Flying Change – Pain Is A Reliable Signal / 2009 Scarlet Shame Records / 10 Tracks / http://www.theflyingchange.com

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