One of two standout Washington D.C. post-punk records released this year, Flasher’s Constant Image is the group’s big-time debut LP; the tight group of friends found themselves a step beyond their DIY roots upon signing to Domino Recordings. They’ve taken full advantage of their access to studio resources here; Constant Image is a sly, smart, fun record that never sounds too slick or overproduced and really shows off the trio’s ability to wind dry, oblique observations about commercial culture around killer pop hooks. Standout tracks like “Pressure,” “Material,” and “Skim Milk” elegantly balance space and tension, elastic bass and minimal yet melodic guitar, and a rhythmic sense of urgency and discomfort with blase vocal delivery. There are clear ‘80s sonic referents here, but this is no indistinguishable pastiche too backwards-facing to sound contemporary; instead, Flasher’s deft work highlights that we’re still dealing with the legacies of the Reagan/Thatcher era in many, many ways.
Flasher has such an 80’s goth post punk kinda style. remind me of The Lords of the New Church. quirky tempo changes and really cool vocal harmonies. great live. a must see.
