Phil Flowers used to be “a bit of a punk”, or so he says. His folk rock oriented People, People might beg to differ at first, but it’s clear after one listen of tracks such as Disguises, that Phil Flowers still has that cynical edge that is normally associated with punk. “When I write songs, I don’t deliberately sit down and decide what subject I am going to write about. I just follow my flow of consciousness and the words just pour out. It’s afterwards that I can decipher my own writing. Disguises is about how we always try to find quick and superficial explanations for different situations in our lives, when in truth, we should look past the façades, dig deeper than what first impressions tend to show us.”
The documentary’s running long; the story is now done and gone.
Let’s simplify, negotiate, the journey of the fifth estate.
Passengers are all out of frame, the driver’s in the passing lane.
The license plates all read the same.
People People
Under the heavy influence of American folk music, blues, and jazz, People People, creates the perfect atmosphere for Flowers’ fiercely imagist lyrics about social heartache, deception, and candour. Influenced by legends such as Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, and at times Hank Williams, Phil Flowers is not content with the status quo and challenges the conception of what a singer/songwriter should be. Whether he’s scatting or growling, crooning or pleading, he brings the listener in and carries him along.
Launched on November 25, 2010, People People was recorded, mixed, and engineered at several locations in Moncton, NB by Derrick Aubie. The album was mastered by Marc “Chops” Arsenault at Hatchpost. Phil Flowers, in addition to singing, playing the acoustic guitar and harmonica, surrounded himself with Hub City musicians such as Christien Belliveau (electric guitar), Jeremy McFarlane (bass guitar), Pascal Raîche-Nogue (drums and percussions), and Julie Doucette (piano). All music and lyrics are by Phil Flowers, except One Trick Pony on which he collaborated with Jeremy McFarlane for the music.
Phil Flowers
Born and raised in Moncton, NB, Phil Flowers studied philosophy at Université de Moncton. Following the untimely dissolution of the band The Courage of Being, Phil Flowers went off on his own with the intention of making music that reflects the anxieties of existence and the integrity of true art through traditional forms. With the release of his debut album, People People (2010), Phil Flowers did just that. His album was received very positively by his peers and the public, his music likened to Sam Roberts and Wilco; his words to Kerouac and Dylan.
2011 also marked Phil Flowers’ first appearance at the East Coast Music Week, where he performed as a showcasing artist. Phil has played over 15 dates this year including two showcases and a few spots on summer festivals including Sunseekers Ball Music & Arts Festival and has played alongside Bernard Adamus, Keller William, Joe Grass, Les Païens, The Haunted Hearts, The Divorcees and Backyard Devils.
For more information on Phil Flowers: www.myspace.com/philflowers or http://philflowers.bandcamp.com.
