The Flaws could have ridden the wave of euphoria that greeted their 2007 debut album Achieving Vagueness by tossing a quick follow-up at us. That the Monaghan quartet avoided that temptation shouts volumes for their long-term commitment to their muse, as evident from the Faces-like opening jangle of the title track, Beach Boy’s harmonies transforming it into a sumptuous slice of classy pop-rock. Such grace and elegance doesn’t come without the careful nurturing of creative aspirations.
What follows reflects the early innocence of such bands as The Killers and U2, with vocalist Paul Finn maturing into one of the key Irish voices of the era, surfing across the magic riffs conjured by his cohorts. ‘Make Good’ adds a Byrds-like raga-rock tinge, before the urgent ‘Part of You’ skates off to la-la-land. ‘A Falling Out’ slips into acoustic folk-rock that feels like Bell X1 (no bad thing). That sprightly urgency is back again in ‘Quit Holding Your Breath’, and there’s a jaunty indie-folk swagger about the waltzing ‘The Stretch Of The Evening’. ‘Comfort Quilts’ chugs along like a mid-era U2 track, before building to a breath-taking climax.
Once upon a time there was a suspicion that home-based bands concentrated too heavily on sound and posturing, while failing the songwriting test. Bands like The Flaws have long nailed that one. The adventure continues.
KEY TRACK: ‘MAKE GOOD’