Drivin N Cryin’s latest album, Crushing Flowers, stands as a testament to the Atlanta, Georgia band’s staying power and the group’s ability to move seamlessly between psychedelic-inflected pop music (the titular track, the lead cut, “Mirror Mirror”), uplifting AM country radio (“Dead End Road”) and unapologetic rock stompers that perfectly encapsulate the power and glory of peak-era glam rock (“Keep The Change”), and sturdy, electric tunes that demonstrate why this outfit has a reputation for blazing live shows (the closing trifecta of “Death of Me Yet,” “Jesse Electric,” and “Iggy Monkey”).
True to the veteran act’s moniker, the music takes listeners on a pendulum swing between tunes that ask us to reflect on the unexpected beauty and inevitable pain of living before giving us reason to celebrate and throw our hands defiantly in the air to the familiar sounds of loud, healing rock ‘n’ roll.
Produced by former DNC guitarist Sadler Vaden and featuring guest appearances from Peter Buck and what may be the last recorded work of Todd Snider, Crushing Flowers is essential listening for both longtime fans and those who are new to the fold.
The band’s Kevn Kinney recently spoke about why Crushing Flowers may be the group’s final album, how his parents supported his musical life, and his appearance in the documentary Taking the City By Storm: The Birth of Milwaukee’s Punk Scene.
Host/Producer: Jedd Beaudoin
Theme music: Torin Andersen
