The Fleshtones
Brooklyn Sound Solutions
2.5 Stars
Rock
The Fleshtones have been producing blues-infused garage rock that’s made them a reputable rock band since the late ‘70s. Added to the mix is Lenny Kaye, known for his time spent as Patti Smith’s guitarist. It sounds like a winning combination — and it is impressive, if underwhelming.
The record is split between covers and new releases, mostly instrumentals. Mixing the styles they know best, the album could be the soundtrack to a decades-old crime thriller starring Steve McQueen.
Standout gems include The Beatles’ “Day Tripper,” sped up, chopped and re-ordered and filtered under a heavy dose of fuzz and jazz. The cover of Billy Boy Arnold’s “I Wish You Would” keeps the creator’s blues and adds some early ‘50s rock in the guitar and call-and-response of the vocalists.
A Fleshtones original, “Bite of My Soul” sounds like a cover of an older, jangly rock ‘n’ roll song with an eerie falsetto chorus.
The album falters when it comes to the original instrumentals scattered throughout the record. The loose jam sessions come across as unnecessary filler. The synth line on “Solution #3” waters down the crisp guitar work, and Kaye’s “Lost on Xandu” is exactly that — a song that gets lost in its own meandering.
The extreme contrast between the enjoyability of the covers and the blandness of the instrumentations is enough to wonder if this album wouldn’t have worked better as an EP without any Fleshtones original contributions.
With 12 songs clocking in at just under 30 minutes, this album is short, sweet and ultimately forgettable. Brooklyn Sound Solutions feels more like a exercise in fulfilling personal whims instead of an album created to engage even dedicated Fleshtones fans. It’s difficult to think of anyone who will consider this a valuable addition to their Fleshtones’ collection.
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