by David Maeda
Thus, during a time when I am quite concerned about giving into current pop trends and becoming far too jaded, I was wonderfully reminded of Red Rose Speedway when first popping local band Florapop�s newest, self-titled release into my CD player. The CD is chock full of sunny melodies and vocals that are almost antithetical to all the angry- and angst-filled music that dominates the airwaves today. This is pop that is beautifully over the top. Thankfully, Florapop makes no apologies for its seemingly unfashionable devotion to Beatles-esque music.
�I hope I don�t sound like an old fart,� Mark Flora says, �but I think a great melody along with snarly guitars is really cool.� Mark and wife Lisa Flora say they hope that their third CD captures a taste of a joyous �Saturday morning vibe.� Mark says the goal of the record was to put a smile on the face of the listener. One listen refreshingly reveals that the mission was absolutely accomplished.
Surprisingly, Mark thinks the new CD was somewhat a fluke. He says that his original intention was to record a country gospel CD with a Hank Williams and Louvin Brothers influence, but the power-pop just flowed. The CD opens with a truly affectionate cover of Marshall Crenshaw�s happy little putdown song, �You�re My Favorite Waste of Time.� The Floras combine their sweet-sounding harmonies masterfully, putting their own voices on the song while still managing to pay tribute to one of Crenshaw�s best songs.
Another highlight is �Right Time Now,� which demonstrates that melancholy isn�t so much the enemy of happiness as it is the opposite side of the same coin. �Staring at the space again/Feeling like I lost a friend/Until the end/Don�t you know you have to make it feel right?� The song has been included on a Japanese power pop compilation and seems to capture the Florapop philosophy of expressing what�s in the heart in hopes that by sharing others won�t feel so alone.
�We hope our fans hear our music and say, �that�s me, that�s my song, that�s how I feel right now,�� Lisa says.
Though their music owes heavy debt to the couple�s obvious love of �70s pop acts such as Cheap Trick, the Raspberries, and Big Star, the Floras are hardly a retro act. On the rocking �Can�t Help It Everybody,� a song that combines Elvis� Sun period with the contemporary feel of the Brian Setzer Orchestra, Florapop pays fitting tribute to yet another inspiration-God (�took a wayward soul/turned me around/put my feet on higher ground/gave me a light and sight to see�).
Mark says the duo writes by translating their emotions into songs. The CD was recorded at their Richfield home between the sounds of airplanes flying overhead. Somewhat ironically, Lisa says that the songs are �flying out of us� and that the CD was a cathartic experience being leisurely recorded after the two got home from their day jobs. �It was a comfortable vibe recording it at home with two dogs,� she says. Mark says the duo hopes to record one CD per year from this point on and that the next project will be �Carole King meets Brian Wilson.�
Florapop�s CD release party is Saturday, August 14 at Coffee Shock, 1532 W. Larpenteur, St. Paul. 9 p.m. 651-647-1887. Tracks from the CD can also be heard at www. florapop.com.