PHWOAR – Flowers Through the Concrete
Birmingham-based duo PHWOAR come out swinging with a strong mission statement on their debut release, Flowers Through the Concrete. Full of full-fledged rock n roll vibes, you can expect big guitars; tongue-in-cheek lyrics, and spot-on takes on social commentary. Driven heavily by guitars and four-on-the-floor drum bombast, this duo of Paul (guitar/vocals) and Helena (drums/vocals) have crafted a full-throated sound that would sound perfect destroying your eardrums in your favorite dive bar.
The EP opens up with “Reckless” – a glammy and snotty introduction to this energy-packed duo. Buzzsaw guitars blast through your speakers with an impressive fervor, while drums slam along as the perfect accompaniment. There’s a retro quality to these tunes – nodding to 90s alt rock greats (think Spacehog or Garbage) while filtering in a bit more 2010s energy from acts like The Black Keys. Being reckless is what this kind of music is all about – moreover, it’s delivered with a timeless sound that you’ll find throughout the rest of the album. The blood-pumping “Surge” channels the spring-loaded chugginess of Death From Above 1979 while the swung swagger of title-track “Flowers Through the Concrete” prove they are capable of vibe shifts that still speak strongly toward their central thesis.
For anyone looking for a quick highlight, we’re personally vibing on lead single “Waiting For the Sun.” Residing in the perfect mid-point of the album, the pulled-back energy here acts as a refreshing intermission between the two wonderful halves of the EP… Not to mention, the repeated refrain of “I’m waiting for the sun” is so hooky, you’ll feel like you’ve heard it a million times before in that oh-so-familiar way. Don’t sleep on album closer “Tryhard” either – if you’re an aging musician like me, lines like “I’m too old, I’m too weak, I’m too poor, I’m too meek, I am so tryhard” are so brutally blunt, it makes me question my current reality… But also simultaneously encourages me to continue that relentless pursuit to prove everyone wrong.
Flowers Through the Concrete is available now (April 11th, 2025). Check it out via the bandcamp embed below – or find it on our go-to streaming service, Spotify.
Categorised in: Album Reviews
This post was written by Nick Sessanna