By Zach Collier
Friends. Seinfeld. New Girl. The Fox Kids 1994-1998 run of Spider-Man: The Animated Series. Those are my comfort shows. It’s what I put on when I’m at my most vulnerable, my most relaxed, when I just need to feel content and safe. Comfort TV has been an item of discussion for years, and while everyone’s comfort shows may differ, everyone understands the distinct feeling those comfort shows bring.
For me, The Bombshell Flowers are the “Comfort TV” of the Utah music scene. There’s music here that I love that’s pretty cerebral and pushes the boundaries of my taste and musical ability; and other music that brings out deep and sometimes heavy emotions. I also really enjoy discovering new music in general – but sifting through unknown sounds has its own energy expenditure.
Whenever I put on Something New, Something Familiar by The Bombshell Flowers, I know what I’m going to get: upbeat songwriting, tight vocal harmonies, and infectious melodies.
The title track “Take Me Back” is a perfect example of this. It’s a rowdy opener with gruff vocals in the verses and their signature smooth harmonies in the chorus. I love the way the snare is engineered – it really cuts and sounds like a snare actually does in a live room. The whole track feels loose and live, perfectly capturing the feeling of a Bombshell Flowers concert. With all the hyper compressed pop and AI slop I’ve heard lately, a song that feels real was extremely joyous.
“In the Breeze” opens with a swirly, phased guitar and a great out-of-context soundbite: “Anyway, yeah – no, that’s why I’m not allowed to go to 7 Elevens anymore.” The whole thing feels like a different take on the emo trope of layering a movie clip over twinkly guitars, but the effect is similar: instead of feeling general nostalgia for an ended era, this feels like specific nostalgia – like remembering a forgotten inside joke between friends. I love the groove on this one, and the guitar break at 1:40 is a particular high point on the album for me.
The album lives up to its name – with “Tarantino” injecting some darker, grittier energy. It definitely feels like a new and interesting direction for the band in the midst of familiar tracks.
The rest of the record could best be described as the soundtrack for sunny days on the lake. “Dreamin’ of You,” “Fun in the Sun,” and “What We Do” all fall in this category. It’s a perfect summer record, but it’s not California beach music. It feels distinctly Utahn, right down to the surprisingly delightful sax solo on “What We Do.”
If you want to feel good, listen to this album.
Make sure to follow The Bombshell Flowers on Instagram and check out their song “What We Do” below!