The Pretty Flowers Tug On “A Company Sleeve” New Album Out July 14th via Double Helix Records

July 15, 2023 Larry Ritter

“These Los Angeles hard power-poppers… play ‘90s style indie-rock that harkens back to later Replacements, early Weezer, a little Sloan, and quite a bit of Wilco. They have the chops to write great songs.” – The Big Takeover

“Lyrical, like a toned-down The Weakerthans… wistful, but not weak and catchy but not cute.” -Razorcake

THE PRETTY FLOWERS

Tug On A Company Sleeve
New Album Out Today
via Double Helix Records

The Pretty Flowers
Photo credit: Sami Drasin

JULY 14, 2023 (Los Angeles, CA) – “The writing of the album came at a time in my life where I was going through a difficult time at work, with an absolute nightmare of a boss,” says Noah Green, vocalist/guitarist of LA-based indie rock band THE PRETTY FLOWERS about the inspiration for their new album A Company Sleeve, released today, July 14, 2023 via Arizona-based indie label Double Helix Records. Being able to absorb that toxic energy and repurpose it into the songs for their frenetic and melodic new album was his way of dealing with that stress.

“For the first time, I was seeing this terrible system that was in place, not to help me (or anyone else in the same situation), but to condone this person’s unethical actions, just because they were already set up in a position of power and it was easier to leave them there,” he continues. “That feeling of helplessness and trying to figure out how to navigate an oppressive system in order to survive (mentally, economically, etc.) cuts through many situations people from all walks of life go through every day. Pushing back against meaningless authority and finding a version of hope or comfort in art and music is what A Company Sleeve wound up being about.”

The Pretty Flowers Album Release Party was held at Permanent Records Roadhouse (1906 Cypress Ave, LA, CA 90065) on Friday, July 14th. They were supported by indie-pop bands Sweet Nobody and Easy Dreams.

Led by their first single “Baby Food” which was released in March, A Company Sleeve so capably channels these negative experiences into florid jangly indie rock. The accompanying animated video is a mixed media (and literal) tour de force, complete with bikes, dogs and a paper route, ending in an obligatory concert. “When Noah and I were drumming up video concepts, he offhandedly mentioned an animated video and a Christmas light in my head went off,” remembers drummer Sean Johnson. “I reached out to [animator] Nathan Sonenfeld, who I’ve known for over 20 years, and asked if it’s something he’d be into. He and his creative partner took to the idea and came up with a really great concept that matched Noah’s lyrics. It’s this great stew of textures and styles both old and new that I feel is really unique and special. We certainly have never done anything like this before and I think I speak for the whole band when I say we love it and we hope everyone else does.”

The Pretty Flowers “Baby Food” video
Link/Embed: https://youtu.be/-1RI-LTDJN0

Produced by the band’s own guitarist/vocalist Jake Gideon, A Company Sleeve was engineered by Adam Lasus (Lily’s, Yo La Tengo, Madder Rose, Helium) at Studio Red and mastered by Matthew Barnhart (Superchunk, Bob Mould, METZ). The new album certainly calls upon ‘90s and early ‘00s pop-punk and indie-rock, with the opening track “Young Gray Enemies” giving us a little hint of Green Day, while “Another Way to Lose” injects a little bit of The Strokes’ chime while keeping The Pretty Flowers’ trademark melodic epic soar intact. Capturing a bit of youthful carefree nostalgia, their sophomore album is a beck and call to unleash pent up emotions and blow off steam.

With their musical nucleus firmly rooted in the early influential days of indie and college rock, the band calls on Guided By Voices, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Teardrop Explodes, Superchunk, and Teenage Fanclub as influences. The Pretty Flowers have previously released one album of original material, Why Trains Crash (2018), plus a handful of singles and a covers collection, Golden Beat Sessions (2019), while keeping their gear well-worn with numerous West Coast tours. Their songs have been featured on two seasons of Showtime’s Shameless, season 2 of the CW’s Nancy Drew, Peacock TV’s The Resort, and most recently Syfy’s Resident Alien.

The Pretty Flowers is Noah Green (vocals/guitar), Jake Gideon (guitar/vocals), Sam Tiger (bass/vocals) and Sean Johnson (drums). A Company Sleeve is released today, July 14, 2023 via Double Helix Records and was produced by Jake Gideon and engineered by Adam Lasus (Lily’s, Yo La Tengo, Madder Rose, and Helium) at Studio Red and mastered by Matthew Barnhart (Superchunk, Bob Mould, METZ).

A Company Sleeve
Tracklisting:

1. Young Gray Enemies
2. Another Way to Lose
3. Hit Nothing
4. Baby Food
5. Bucket Beach
6. Agendaless
7. Wildflowers
8. Honeylight
9. Doughboy Pool
10. Sit Right With You
11. The Long Con
12. Soon Enough Blues