Richardine Bartee
Religious and child-like.
When I listen to stations on Pandora, it often features artists like Iron & Wine, Jay May, Peter Bjorn and John, and many more skilled indie-pop starlets. ‘White Light Doorway’ by Florist doesn’t fall from that musical tree. What started as a friendship project in Upstate, New York after a severe bicycle accident, brings us the warm, downy, comical new single from the gang’s debut album called, ‘The Birds Outside Sang’. The single is child-like, innocent and honest. Emily was in recovery—writing and recording in isolation—only able to play the keyboard with one hand. I streamed the record nearly ten times before writing about it. Within every stream, I could hear and feel the love, richness, support, and healing. If you’re in town, see Emily Sprague, Rick Spataro, Jonnie Baker, and Felix Walworth live in concert at their record release party on January 30.
Fellow tri-state based groups Vagabon, Long Beard, and Yours Are The Only Ears are also on the bill and will join the group onstage that night. ‘The Birds Outside Sang’ will be out on January 29 via Double Double Whammy. NPR describes the new Florist record as a number whose lyrics “touch upon a diary-like exploration of spiritual yearning, and sung over a lonely, fuzzed-out electric guitar and a kick drum.” Stereogum lists the group as a best new band of 2015 and says the following, “Brightly-realized and wrenching music that’s as innately appealing as it is emotionally devastating.”
