Smoking Flowers, The
Let's Die Together
Multi-instrumentalists Kim and Scott Collins are The Smoking Flowers, and together the duo have a strong affinity for alt-rock and alt-country on this third album. Kims triumphant bout with cancer certainly hasnt slowed down their approach, especially on the anthemic and charged riffs of the early songs here, though later on Americana and folk influences seep into the strong songwriting. As the album progresses, the pair dig deep and get dusty, bluesy, warm, and sweet, particularly on the duet "Street Fight," which is about as brilliant as youd expect from Ryan Adams in his heyday, and certainly complements the earlier fuzzed out rock well. This is an album that has a unique ability to fuse loud, thriving 90s rock guitars with a vintage feeling akin to their Nashville home. While some would call what the husband and wife team have chemistry, on this phenomenal album it seems pretty close to magic. Tom Haugen (new noise)