One Hundred Flowers
Mechanical Bride
Stem and Leaf
After crafting tunes in his bedroom and receiving a rousing response from listeners, Harrison Speck decided to collect a group of musicians to bring his songs new life. A full band complete with horns and piano and percussion, Speck and his crew assembled One Hundred Flowers and its debut album Mechanical Bride.
Each song is carefully crafted and polished. The melodies are thoughtfully composed, imprinting themselves into the air and ringing out with firm resolve. They remind me of a car commercial: young people in an affordable convertible with the top down, curling down a mountain with their hair flying around in the wind. Then, cue the fine print and the car’s monthly payment. Each song has just the right amount of quirkiness, and the right amount of mainstream accessibility. Their use of keyboard and horns complement the rest of the songs and doesn’t make it campy and novel. The vocal harmonies and group-sing are haunting, but still very attractive. Each song is under control, temperate, and pleasant. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to like this sound, which could be a blessing or a hindrance, depending on your preference.
One Hundred Flowers: http://onehundredflowers.com
