Flowers for the Dead (FFTD) is a DC-based indie-rock trio that is making their name in the industry with their concerts and new releases. The trio is composed of Jessie Szego (lead vocalist and guitarist), Ella Buskirk (vocalist and bassist), and Ricky Martinez (drummer). The band opened up their discography by releasing two singles (Circles and They Ran Like Dogs) and their debut album, Quiet Corrosion in the Dancing Hall, back in 2022. More recently, they’ve announced the release of their 2nd album, Magnolia, which comes out on November 29. To tease this new release, FFTD has released five of the thirteen songs on the album as singles, titled Two of Me, Teeth, See-through, Gloria, and Only Alibi.
“[Magnolia is] a captivating exploration of growing up and a poignant realization of feeling out of place.”
The album opens with ‘Magnolia’, which I would label as the ultimate opening song, the melody progressively amplifies to ease you into the emotion of the album. The best way to describe the feeling this song gives would be to have the audiences imagine an early 2000s rock band in a coming of age movie, which is to say the opening seems very nostalgic in the best way possible. Following this song, we have ‘Falling at Your Feet’ which, similar to the first song, feels very nostalgic, but a lot more mellow and soft. While nostalgia is a staple for FFTD, there is a different essence captured in every song, ‘Open Up’, the fifth song in their album is no exception. Ultimately, this song felt like an anthem to those who have felt left out, for those who don’t want to solve issues but rather be there and are left out.
The eight song on the album, ‘Ricochet’, is one of their shorter songs, but still one that demonstrates who they are and what they feel. The use of the term ricochet is used to show how a person can go back to feeling like they're right back to where they came from, which this song is seemingly all about. We shift to a different feeling when we move to ‘Rot’ which is presented in a more fast paced and angsty way, when discussing watching yourself withering away in a sense. We continue on this trend of more fast paced songs with ‘Feed! Feed! Feed!’ which is the song for those who see relationships from a new point and realize people want it all, and you can’t do it any longer.
The last two songs do the album justice by closing out with the same energy and heartfelt devotion for their music. ‘Ear to the Wall’ is very similar to ‘Open Up’ by creating a relatable song to those who feel left out and still invested in being let in to someone’s life. The final song, ‘In Shadow’, closes out the album with one of the most emotional songs, in my opinion, which touches on the way someone can make you feel haunted by making you also feel at home, using the metaphor of feeling like a ‘child holds his mother.’ The album touches on a lot of things, as many bands do, they reflect their own experiences and emotions through this album, which they share with us to find something we might relate to. Overall, this album is one I felt myself really gravitating to, Flowers for the Dead has found their unique style and you can see their passion and enthusiasm through their music.
After being able to listen to this album, we are beyond excited to see the future of Flowers for the Dead. Beyond their singles and album release, FFTD have also released three music videos for Gloria, See-through, and Teeth, which you can go and see on their YouTube page now. Magnolia is out now on all streaming platforms, go and give it a listen!
