Photo: Yawei Zhang
Sprinting straight out of the blocks is the rapid-fire single 'June', taking its cues from their self-professed influence of the early post-punk revival of Interpol, albeit in a far more upbeat manner, fans of Turn On the Bright Lights will instantly be endeared to this sound, it's a dizzying and highly enjoyable introduction to LNP.
Slowing affairs down, second track 'Texlahoma' is a flighty and ponderous number, taking off at 1:51 with a very nicely timed pre-chorus break and the wry lines; "I met a girl with hair dyed blonde, her eyes were green // Told her she had just the prettiest roots you ever did see // "Bet you never heard that one before," // But she just smiled and said it wouldn't hurt to hear it once more." The band really fire-up the engines for the final minute and closing verse, essentially creating three distinctive moments slotted carefully together for maximum impact.
A strong finish is in store with closer 'Jynx', which feels like Late Night Pharmacy edging closer to their true destination musically, a melodic yet heavier guitar intro harks back to a mid-90's alt-rock sound. The first impressions from 'June' are flipped entirely upside-down half-way through the track, a slightly jovial look at a frustrated unloved protagonist takes a dark turn into an alleyway of sinister post-rock.
From a personal perspective, if you are engaging in any format of rock sub-genre you need to be able to go loud and stick the knife into the music's spine and twist it around a little. Late Night Pharmacy do not disappoint on this front, with the arc of Flamingo curving from the ear-friendly openings of 'June' downwards toward harsher territory on 'Jynx', there's an awareness of the purpose and mood of post-punk music on display which is often poorly neglected. Play it loud.
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