No Place Like Home
Badflower are most interesting when the uncomfortable details make it into the song. No Place Like Home has plenty of those details: grief, imagined escapes, family fears and the pressure of being useful to other people. Some of the music is straightforward radio rock, but the strongest writing gives it something much more personal.
The title track begins with a heavy, uneasy feel. It establishes the band's ability to make an immediate impression, while Josh Katz's voice keeps a nervous edge in the middle of the arrangement. Haunting You adds a tight guitar pattern and ominous piano, making its large chorus feel slightly less reassuring than it first appears.
London is a good example of the record's more melodic side. The vocal harmonies are strong, and the idea of abandoning ordinary life for a romantic escape gives the song a clear focus. It is easy to understand why somebody would want to believe it, even if the plan sounds rather optimistic.
The later songs have more weight. Detroit turns unhappiness into a forceful group chorus, while Don't Be a Stranger considers the possibility of failing somebody before that failure has even happened. These are specific concerns, handled with enough directness to keep the songs from becoming general complaints.
Paws is the standout. A song about losing a dog could easily lean too heavily on the subject doing all the work. Katz's exposed delivery and the restrained atmosphere give it a more lasting effect. It is sad in a clear, ordinary way, and that makes it hit harder.
Some earlier tracks are less distinctive. Snuff is catchy and efficiently built, but it doesn't have the same emotional pull as the record's best material. The gap shows how much stronger this band become when there is a particular feeling behind the arrangement.
Butterfly closes with another difficult question, this time about the expectations people place on the band. It's an appropriate ending. No Place Like Home works because Badflower are increasingly willing to let the awkward, vulnerable parts remain visible.
