Planet (i). Squirrel Flower

Squirrel Flower debuted on this blog with her album 'I Was Born Swimming'. Under a year ago. In late June Planet (i) saw the light of day. The album is a dark piece of work, perhaps reflecting the period of darkness that the Covid-19 pandemic was and, who knows, may still be in the fall.

Listening to how the album opens, I had the impression Planet (i) kicked ass. Squirrel Flower found her fondness for other instruments and recorded with a firm band sound in mind. As the album progresses it is as if the pandemic caught up with her. The album changes into an alternative singer-songwriter album with Squirrel Flower playing by herself, who knows in her living room, recording her songs on an electric guitar by herself. My association with the music was not correct, it turns out, but it is a nice thought to have. The album was recorded in its entirety in producer Ali Chant's Bristol studio in the fall of 2020.

This gives Planet (i) two faces and variety. Not so much of a jubilant, exultant nature but certainly woven into the music I'm hearing. More than on her debut album of 2020, Planet (i) dares to release a song. A little in the way Elliot Smith did in a few of his songs. The release of the band in the songs gives Squirrel Flower's music a rough edge as some turn into mid-tempo alternative rockers that make a distinct impression on the listener. Much more so than on 'I Was Born Swimming'. The difference by the huge sound of 'Roadkill' and the acoustic setting of 'Iowa 146' could hardly be much larger. Both work perfectly well by the way.

Listening more often to this album shows how first impressions can be extremely misleading. "They often fool the naked ear", to paraphrase Fischer-Z' John Watts. The song before last, 'Night', is a soft one, until at some point it literally explodes. My memory only tells me about the gentle music, most likely because of the acoustic song the final one, 'Starshine', is. First impression may be nice to have, checking is always better.

Looking at the artwork of Planet (i) I thought of the movie 'The Martian' immediately and associated the utter feeling of being alone in that movie with the isolation many felt during the pandemic. The association had to be scrapped though. Ella O'Connor Williams imagined interplanetary travel and life and how other planets would be destroyed by humans, just like we're destroying the only inhabitable planet we know. From that concept she started writing the songs that have become Planet (i). That she was inspired by this theme is clear from listening to the album.

Promo photo: Tonje Thilesen

Fans of indie rocking artist of the past 30 something years will recognise some influences. From rocking to mid 90s female singer-songwriters, e.g. Joan Osborne, it's all there. Also within one song, like 'Big Beast'. Squirrel Flower obviously has diverse tastes in music. She does not have Courtney Love's scream and howl, she can play her music in a Hole style with the best of them. The combination of her modest voice, like Elliot Smith in her way of singing, against a solid backdrop works as well as it does in a ballad.

The more I hear of Planet (i), the more I'm convinced that Squirrel Flower has made the kind of step that promises an interesting career. Progression in every step of the way. Where 'I Was Born Swimming' was a nice debut record, no doubt about it, Planet (i) is a good record. More diverse, better songs, more convincing, more self-assured. It sounds like a perfect career move and it is if you're a singer-songwriter with the quality of Ella Williams.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Planet (i) here:

https://squirrelflower.bandcamp.com/album/planet-i

or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g