By sticking to tighter song structures and utilizing the full accompaniment of a backing band, The Flower Lane gives Mondanile’s sunny hooks the prominence they deserve, leading to a number of memorable cuts
These extra hands, combined with an actual recording studio and backing from Domino, have been instrumental in cleaning up and refining Ducktails' sound, making it much more palatable, particularly when compared to previous releases.
The relatively sumptuous presentation of The Flower Lane successfully separates it from the rest of Ducktails' discography. Unfortunately, a familiar emptiness remains.
The Flower Lane is arguably not as essential, nor quite as oddly memorable as previous collected Ducktails instalments, but it does appear to be a new phase of the band.
Sure, it's no masterpiece, but The Flower Lane represents Matthew Mondanile's most consistent record to date. It would appear flying solo is a lot easier when you've got friends.
Though it suffers from some occasional hiccups, Mondanile has never sounded more in charge and confident with his craft.
‘The Flower Lane’ is dominated by sumptuous jangles, recalling the likes of Aztec Camera and Orange Juice, but occasionally derailed by a tiresome tendency towards the tasteful.
The record feels akin to 40 minutes of stoned stargazing in a college dorm room. And the kid down the hall has yet to add substance to the conversation.
There are things I want from a Ducktails album, and “jangly pop rock” isn’t one of them. We’ve got enough of that.
Its songwriting, production, and delivery harbor no risks, and therefore the album safely passes by its listeners without leaving anything but a want for something a little more lively.
Mondanile has said that this album is a collaborative effort, but the lack of emotional engagement (and fun) suggests a bunch of friends who don’t actually like hanging out together.
It’s as wispy as its lower-budget predecessors, providing a polite digression that fades from the memory and the heart not long after the record finishes up.
On Flower Lane, Mondanile and the gang stepped out of the bedroom and into the studio, and the result is something just as sterile as every other song by Real Estate.
This is my favorite album of Ducktails. It's got some of the best indie pop tracks I've heard in the 10s. Unfortunately, Academy Avenue, the last track, ruins the whole album to me. It's so out of place.
Favorite tracks:
Ivy Covered House, Undercover, Letter of Intent (10)
Rated on: April 4, 2020
1 | Ivy Covered House 3:29 | |
2 | The Flower Lane 4:28 | |
3 | Under Cover 6:09 | |
4 | Timothy Shy 4:04 | |
5 | Planet Phrom 3:30 | |
6 | Assistant Director 3:34 | |
7 | Sedan Magic 4:41 | |
8 | International Date Line 1:58 | |
9 | Letter of Intent 5:19 | |
10 | Academy Avenue 2:49 |
#20 | / | Obscure Sound |
#40 | / | Sputnikmusic |
#84 | / | Crack Magazine |