Review: The Districts' 'A Flourish And A Spoil'

The Districts grab your attention. The four members of the Philadelphia-based rock band formed in Lititz, Pa. - none of whom are old enough to legally drink alcohol - are a formidable live unit who make an immediate impression with dynamic scream-to-a-whisper song structures that take a page out of the playbook out of 1990s bands like Nirvana and The Pixies. That furious energy - and the commanding, frayed at the edges vocals of singer Rob Grote - have led to the band's second full length album, A Flourish And A Spoil (Fat Possum ***)  to be hotly tipped as one of the breakout releases of the young year. Good luck trying to take your date to their show at Union Transfer on Saturday night - it's super-sold out.

A Flourish And A Spoil - a title that does not trip off the tongue, and hints at the poetic affect that can get in the way of the emotional immediacy of the songs - was recorded in Minnesota and produced by John Congleton, who did laudable work last year with both St. Vincent and Angel Olsen. He helps focus the energy of a band that tends to fall back on clotted intensity in spots where a less cluttered approach might better carry the day.

But the album also shows the foursome confidently expanding its palette in subtle yet substantial ways, while being unafraid to display their influences, as on the humble bow down to Kurt Cobain in the "all we are is all we are" lyric on "6 am." A Flourish & A Spoil is a coming of age album from a band that's full of promise. "I'm sick of this longing, but I feel too dull when it's gone," Grote sings on "4th & Roebling," at once capturing the anticipatory exhaustion of youth and looking forward to the uncertain journey ahead.

A HotBox Session video of "4th & Roebling" is below.

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