Flickerstick - Welcoming Home The Astronauts
(Epic Records)
1 1/2 Stars (out of 5 stars)
Reviewed: March 1, 2002
By Holiday Girod
They just don't seem to pick 'em like they used to. Flickerstick may have been the big winner's of VH1's 'Bands On The Run' reality (that's a good one) television series, but judging from their debut studio album, Welcoming Home The Astronauts, the competition must've been pretty slim.
While this fledging Dallas-based band stuffs a sockful of standard rock elements into their package - catchy melodies, proficient musicianship and a dose of good looks, it's all forgotten after play one of the album. From overwrought vocals, to the sappy arena rock productions and saccharine power ballads this album is just plain mundane. A nice marketing touch would have been to package a Bic lighter with each disc, complete with instructions on when to light, raise high above the head and slowly wave back and forth.
Slightly updating the dated sounds of Kansas, Journey and other faceless, big haired bands from the early '80s, this quintet, made up of vocalist Brandin Lea, guitarists Cory Kreig and Rex James Ewing, drummer Dominic Weir and bassist Fletcher Lea, just plays it too safe. The function of their music seems to be a temporary stepping-stone for young girls moving from boy-band puppy love to something a little more musically insightful. Alas, the search continues.
Now, I understand that these guys put on a pretty strong show, which may be the reason for garnering their accolades from the VH1 audience, but until I see it myself all I've got to base my judgment on is this shallow, unimaginative disc. Sorry guys, but my Bic ran out of juice about twenty years ago.