They say third time’s a charm, and that couldn’t be more true for Hood River, OR indie-pop band, flor – comprised of singer/guitarist Zach Grace, bassist/producer Dylan Bauld, guitarist McKinley Kitts, and drummer Kyle Hill. With the release of their third studio record, Future Shine, the band have truly found their footing. With the past eight years and beyond a true testament of hard work and dues paid, watching them rise to the top with a new bold sense of confidence has been nothing short of glorious.
Future Shine – out now via Fueled By Ramen – glows on the basis of two positive themes: possibility and promise of a better tomorrow. It’s been said that in order to find your true purpose in life, you have to look back on a time where you struggled the most. How did you push through it? What did it teach you, and how can you inspire others to do the same?
“I was thinking about people who present solutions for today’s problems to help ensure a brighter future,” shared Grace. “I wanted to emulate that energy, optimism, and desire for a better world. The album is us chasing the goal we’ve been after since high school: to share our art, bring joy, and connect with as many people as possible.”
flor have always found the light in the midst of darkness, helping listeners discover ways to find truth and move past the pain with lyrics as their armor. The band’s 2017 debut, come out. you’re hiding., was just the beginning, but 2019’s ley lines solidified that notion. Now, here we are almost (hopefully) post-pandemic in 2022 with Future Shine as our guiding light. But don’t get it twisted – this isn’t an album chock full of sugarcoated toxic positivity. These guys are no strangers to reality; to laying it all out there while searching for a solution in the midst of the anger and panic. Album opener, “24,” a clear reminder of the struggles we face while reminding ourselves that it’s okay to complain but we also need to be vigilant.
“Big Shot” pours us all a cup of “sick confidence” in the span of three minutes. We also get a slice of cake that we can eat too! This is probably the heaviest we’ve heard yet from the band, and fans are hyped! Classic flor comes back into play with “Clouds” and “Come Over Now” while “Conditional” just might be a contender for album highlight! Delving into the barriers and conditions people put around them to avoid feeling any type of emotional connection these days, this one is a clear reminder of our worth and knowing when it is time to walk away.
“Gotta Do Something” examines the common existential millennial pain of watching everyone around you succeed at life while you’re still broke, struggling, and completely lost. Feeling this one on a deeply personal level! “You’re broke at 30 and wondering what you’re going to do for the rest of your life because you can’t buy a home,” shares Grace. “Straight up, it’s about me. So, I was like, ‘You can’t just whine about it’. There’s a little bit of my dad’s voice in there, ‘Look son, you need to do something.’ It’s a kick in the pants to remind me you have to work for what you want.”
The pains of growing up while holding on to the values you once held as a kid are alive and well as the album effortlessly pivots into lead single, “Play Along,” breezy anthem, “Skate,” and Take It Back Home” while title track, “Future Shine,” and album closer, “The Way We Talk About a Song,” offer up hope in spite of the turmoil going on around us.
“Personally, we retreated from all of this craziness and took solace in the music,” McKinley shared. “If you’re overwhelmed by the world, put this record on, and it can be your safe space to take a breather for thirty minutes. That’s what I hope you get from this record—that light.”
We think it’s safe to say, mission accomplished!
Future Shine is available now here!
