Lurid Purple Flowers expand their sonic arsenal with ‘No Sympathy’
The prolific Boston trio pushes the boundaries of guitar-rock with a new EP set for release on Friday, September 23
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Lurid Purple Flowers play Boston Music Awards’ Sound of Our Town on September 16
Photo Credit: Josh Vong
BOSTON, MA [September 23, 2022] – There’s an old adage about writing music, about how a band has their whole lives to craft their first record, then a very short period of time to produce their second. It’s often relayed as a sort of cautionary tale, as if the debut is rife with lessons learned through life while the follow-up is a cram session, usually alluded to as being written on the road, in haste, and with desperation for a so-called “hit” or crowd appeasement in mind. But sometimes the supposed quickness of a sophomore effort creates a certain swirl of tension that explodes out of the speakers with a furious abandon, a manic fit that defies expectation, and that seems to be in play with Lurid Purple Flowers’ forthcoming EP, No Sympathy, set for streaming release on September 23.
Fueled by the fiery August single “Addict,” which earned the Boston trio global indie, online, and college radio play and national blog praise, No Sympathy is the second Lurid Purple Flowers EP this year, following spring debut Mania. Its four tracks create a propulsive and almost dizzying turn for the Berklee-bred band, who dance freely through the corridors of rock – from alternative to classic to stoner to psych – while twirling through normally disparate sonic avenues of post-punk and funk. The record was produced and engineered by Nico Low, mixed by Sam Guseman, and mastered at Abbey Road Studios in London, England.
And like Mania, as well as an echo of the energetic Lurid Purple Flowers live show, No Sympathy refuses to stand still, as the previously unreleased tracks – a ferocious detuned monster called “Pink Elephants,” the relentlessly stout “Is It Me,” and the groove-driven “All It Was” – create a voluminous cadence that displays a young band already brimming with musical confidence. The guttural growl and howl of vocalist and guitarist CA Newcomb is matched only by her shredding; bassist Ben Caito’s funk flavor gives each track a kinetic and vertical personality; and drummer Nick White holds the beat down through non-traditional structures. Each track has its own personality to match its members.
“We’ve put a lot of time into these songs,” says Newcomb. “Going on tour as a band and playing the EP live really let us experiment with our sound and allowed each of us to be creative. We’re excited to share these songs with the world.
No Sympathy is a true extension of, and evolution from, Mania in various ways. Newcomb returns to the same character from the trio’s debut EP, though these scenes find them at a different point in their life. The songwriter and lyricist keeps her true intent of each song fairly hidden, allowing the listener to bring their own interpretations to the music – as we saw on full display on “Addict,” perhaps the true aural blueprint for the EP as a whole. But Newcomb admits these songs represent the character’s next chapter, all while she proudly experiments with heavy suspended chords and a scream that shakes the speakers.
“No Sympathy is us pushing the boundaries we set in the first EP,” admits Caito. “For this project we got to spend a lot more time in the studio, playing with different versions of the finished tracks and pushing the songs in different directions until they broke, before putting back together the pieces we liked. Right now we’re hungry to do more, be more, and grow beyond each previous EP creatively. Ambitious is the right word. Each project should aim higher than the last.”
Where No Sympathy truly succeeds is by pushing the envelope of the Lurid Purple Flowers sound, while still retaining a familiar foundation. The trio has a knack for subverting expectations, but repeated listens to the EP show a hidden consistency throughout that reflects the group as songwriters. More time in the studio to flesh out ideas and lean into a more glossy production polish should only further the band’s reach.
“We flirt with a lot of different styles from song to song, but I’d say we’re aiming for more than straight rock,” Caito adds. “Everything needs an edge, needs energy. The songs that made the EP were cut with this goal in mind. To me, the record should feel like a basement concert, dimly lit, sweaty, with that energy that comes from all the best nights we had on tour. Playing the songs night after night on tour definitely gave us an appreciation of the EP’s strongest moments. The tracks always grow and evolve after playing them live a few times, and running them through the gauntlet of our first Eastern U.S. tour was no exception.”
Once the record drops, Lurid Purple Flowers will look ahead – to more tours, to a video release October 1, and to more songwriting and time spent in the studio. There’s no adage about a band’s third record – but that’s just fine. Lurid Purple Flowers possess their own creative compass, and the new music isn’t likely to be too far behind.
Media Contact: Please direct all press inquiries to Lurid Purple Flowers at luridpurpleflowers@gmail.com or Michael Marotta at michael@publisist.co.
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Lurid Purple Flowers are:
CA Newcomb - Vocals and guitar
Ben Caito - Bass guitar
Nick White - Drums
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‘No Sympathy’ production credits:
Produced and engineered by Nico Low
Mixed by Sam Guseman
Mastered at Abbey Road Studios in London, England
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‘No Sympathy’ EP artwork:
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Lurid Purple Flowers short bio:
From Boston, Lurid Purple Flowers pulls threads from their hard rock, psych, and funk influences to create their debut EP, Mania. Frontwoman CA Newcomb's writing is gritty and dark, but with hopeful notes that resonate throughout the entire project. Bassist Ben Caito brings a heavy funk influence to the lineup, while drumming prodigy Nick White on the kit rounds out the band's huge sound. A new EP, No Sympathy, is set for September 2022 release, led by August single “Addict.”
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Media praise for Lurid Purple Flowers:
The music of Lurid Purple Flowers can be heard on 617 Music Reviews, Banks Radio Australia, Blood Makes Noise, BumbleBee Radio, Bushwick Garage on Radio Free Brooklyn, DKFM Shoegaze Radio, Eardrum Buzz, Everything You Know Is Wrong on Salem State Radio, If It’s Too Loud, Indie Radio YFM, Jammin’ With JenCat on Twisted Road Radio and Belter Radio, Lonely Oak Radio, Marc’s Alt-Rock Playground on Mark Skin Radio, Music Box Pete, NOSW Germany, Original Music Showcase on Mark Skin Radio, Radio Oscura, Rising With Skybar on WMFO, Screaming For Years, Steve Garnett’s New Music Radio on Revival Radio, Sunshine Music iRadio, The Bad Copy, Third Street Show on KRDP, Your First Listen, and other stations, shows, and outlets.
“The latest from Lurid Purple Flowers is a raucous, rock ’n roll headbanger that sounds increasingly better the louder it’s played. The initial seconds of ‘Addict’ features a palm-muted, electric guitar that transitions to a short verse, before exploding into a clamorous instrumental chorus. It’s at this singular moment that the track sets the hook and reels you in for an auditory indulgence — a by-product of good songwriting and professional-level mastering.” _617 Music Reviews
“‘Addict’ is the lead single from Lurid Purple Flowers’ forthcoming EP titled ‘No Sympathy’ & it finds the Boston-based trio of CA Newcomb (vocals/guitar), Ben Caito (bass) & Nick White (drums) waxing upon open-ended dependency over 2 ½ mins of gloomy AltRawk.” _Screaming For Years
“This teeters the edge of hard rock and post punk but has enough indie elements that it remains cool. It has a feel like NY Loose or Yeah Yeah Yeahs which is interesting because in a weird way these are the two bands combined that I feel like Lurid Purple Flowers sound like especially on this track. This is a little less punk and more rock than some of the other tracks I've heard from them but the shredding makes up for it. To hear a little more of their hardcore side check out their EP "Mania" which also infuses funk and psych into the mix.” _Blood Makes Noise
“‘Addict’ is dark. It's filled with swirling guitars and CA Newcomb's vocals are downbeat and surprisingly hypnotic. But, as with any band that truly understands their Nirvana influence, the song is oddly catchy. You would never hear ‘Addict’ and think it sounds anything like a pop song on your first listen, but you're guaranteed to be humming along well before you memorize any lyrics. Lurid Purple Flowers are a band with a huge potential that you're going to want to keep watching.” _If It’s Too Loud
"The song has a dark edged exterior to it, with strong vocal refrains and a retro early 90's twist to it that will have you on a high energy nostalgia trip.” _Music Box Pete
“With iron resolve and passion for rock and blues, Lurid Purple Flowers have risen up against all the odds. Their song Darkness is a rock-blues super jam with first-string solos, riffs and a voice that talks to your hidden voice.” _Sinusoidal Music
“Lurid Purple Flowers …produce a powerful rock sound mixed with blues, funk and some grunge sensibility. This combination has woken up the Boston underground music scene with a huge sound… This is music that demands to be listened to at full volume.” _Indie Band Guru
“Their sound has been described as Zeppelin’s take on Funkadelic with Newcomb’s raspy lead vocals lending a characteristic flair to the originals and covers of acts such as Royal Blood. ‘Lurid’ means vivid and harsh in color and is a perfect description for the band in both sound and personality. After a full year on the scene it’s clear this band is playing for its own survival.” _Channel Radio
“From top to bottom, ‘Darkness’ is a truly special song. From the outset, you will notice how much raw power is featured within this song. One major source of the aforementioned power is in the instrumental portion of the track, specifically the guitar performance; the guitar in this song is absolutely electrifying and really carries the instrumental. Not to be outdone, CA Newcomb’s vocals match the intensity brought by the guitar performance, giving off the kind of finished product that will get you up and moving.” _Which Coast
Press Contact: michael@publisist.co or luridpurpleflowers@gmail.com
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