|
|
 |
|
RECENT NEWS
|
|
Hothouse Flowers
Hothouse Flowers are a band with a history, certainly - and very definitely a presence and a future.
The story is what legends are made of: from busking on the streets of Dublin in 1985, to attracting the attention and assistance of Bono and U2's Mother Records; creating a huge buzz with their expansive, passionate brand of Irish-rooted rock'n'soul; being named "The Best Unsigned Band In Europe" by Rolling Stone, signing a deal with London Records. Three albums, world tours, adulation; the whole nine yards. Then in 1994 they decided to take a year off and try to tame the whirlwind that had become their lives -- a year which turned into several as they rediscovered their families and their lives, and explored a variety of musical pathways. They got back together and decided to strip back down to the essentials and continued to rebuild and re-invent themselves over the next few years. They toured -- Ireland, the United States (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003), Europe, Japan. They released a couple of CDs on their own, while their former record company released a Greatest Hits CD. And all the while, the Flowers were busy writing and recording what eventually became Into Your Heart, their fifth studio album."You can't really put a record out until everybody in the band is satisfied that it is the best record it can be," observes Fiachna O Braonain, guitarist for the band. "We could have put a record out a few years ago, but some of the songs that are on this one hadn't been written yet, or weren't completely fleshed out."
"Mostly, it's been the process of looking for those few extra songs."
It's been a process that led to the band's first completely independently recorded and produced (with John Reynolds [Sinead O'Connor]) offering. The collection of songs on Into Your Heart shows a distinct maturation and shift in viewpoint. Far from the broad, sweeping brushstrokes of the spiritually-oriented, anthemic murals of the first three records, this record focuses on exquisitely etched miniatures and intimate vignettes; the precise detailing of the moods and modes of everyday lives and loves. It's still the same 'big stuff'; just viewed from a more personal, human perspective. There's a lot of heart-space in the songs, and exploration of the emotional landscape of relationships. It's easy to write about the big things when you're young, because you don't have that much experience with the smaller, more intimate things that make up the fabric of life.
"One thing to remember about this record," offers Liam O Maonlai, singer/keyboardist for the band, "Is that we are all fathers now. And while all the songs aren't specifically about fatherhood, that special, helpless kind of love is present throughout the record. That kind of love that is demanding, that makes you more practical, grounded. Because you have to be there; you have to be present."
The album resonates with the varieties of love: for a child, for a spouse/lover, for spirit, for the joy of life and living. This is a band that has always lived with its heart on its sleeve, whose high-minded goals and lofty aspirations have been fueled by their emotions and instinct. And with the Flowers' rediscovery of their innate soulfulness, there is a slinky sensuality present in this record that before this has only been apparent in their amazing live performances.
"This record... means a hell of a lot," reflects Fiachna. "I guess it has reaffirmed the band's potency - both as songwriters and as recording artists. There's never been any question about the band being a great live band -- I think people have always felt that -- but there have often been questions about making records. This is the first record we have really, really made ourselves, and I think it is -- I really think it's the best record we've ever made." Fiachna laughs, and pauses. "You always tend to think the last one is the best, but if I could be in any way objective -- which I can't -- "It's the culmination of a hell of a lot of gut instinct."
