Idle Bloom’s Flood the Dial

Photo+Courtesy+of+Bandcamp

Photo Courtesy of Bandcamp

Noah Stevens, Music Staffer

There’s something to be said for music that needs to be listened to with the volume all the way up. Nashville rock outfit Idle Bloom’s new record Flood the Dial is nothing if not that kind of music. From the outset, the album is begging to be absolutely blasted from whatever speaker or headphone you’re listening to it through.

Every song is full of jump-up-and-down on the bed electricity, supercharged by unrelenting bass lines, two crisp lead guitars, and rock-solid drumming to back it all up. On top of the instrumental ensemble, frontwoman Olivia Scibelli’s emotional croons, supported by harmonies from the rest of the band, are exactly what the album needs. Her poetic lyrics reflect on failed relationships, her insecurities, and the fear of confrontation. Even when Scibelli’s lyrics take a somber turn, the music is there to make you want to dance it all away.

Flood the Dial has a great balance of the old and new. Slick production makes every instrument stand out, lending to an easy grasp of just how layered Idle Bloom’s sound is. At the same time, this album would fit right in stylistically with the likes of the No Doubt and Veruca Salt. Flood the Dial has put Idle Bloom squarely in the middle of the edge of nineties rock and the vibrance of today’s indie rock and indie pop.

The album exceeds greatly as an experience. Track after track, Scibelli and company take you for a wild, energetic, fun, and sometimes emotional ride. Though the album clocks in at just over half an hour, you’ll easily put triple that into it the first day you listen. This is the perfect soundtrack to the coming-of-age movie of your dreams, especially if it’s set in 1996. It’s simply irresistible on all fronts.

Standout Tracks: 1, 3, 5, 9, 10

RIYL: Charly Bliss, Veruca Salt, The Beths, girl power and 90s coming-of-age flicks.