Puerto Rico Flowers - "3 Sisters"

Our friends and proprietors of my favorite record label in Baltimore, Chris and Sean of Fan Death Records, recently sent over the single to a forthcoming LP in the works.

The forthcoming release is by Puerto Rico Flowers, and it's called 7. Its due out on wax this summer, and follows up the EP titled 4 and the 7" called 2 that came out last year on Fan Death. I was sent the rough mixes of the new record yesterday, and have played nothing else since. It appears likely that this is going to be the biggest record that Fan Death has released, as John Sharkey III may be relinquishing his opus upon us.



"3 Sisters" is the first single to be heard from the new LP, and is a solid example of the massive nature of the forthcoming record. With his first two releases Sharkey displayed his ability to sound huge while keeping it incredibly simple, with sparse blends of synths, guitars, and drums that sounded much more prevalent when put together. This presence is what anchors "3 Sisters", easily Puerto Rico Flowers' heaviest pop song to date.

While the single hits harder than Gravedigger's descent onto junkyard cars, it's the more intimate moments on the record that will likely cement this as an instant classic. The last track is the best example of this, as "After The Weekend" recalls Neil Young's more personal moments, all while maintaining the grungy dark-wave vibe more commonly found. Fan Death told me it's his "See The Sky About To Rain" or "Philadelphia".

The new record finds Sharkey working with Philly's Jeff Zeigler (Kurt Vile,The War on Drugs, Clockcleaner, FNU Ronnies) on production. Kurt Vile guests on the record, appearing on the track "Keep Me Around". 7 is out via Fan Death Records in May/June.

Giveaway: Puerto Rico Flowers @ Talking Head

This is on Saturday, and it is going to be awesome. The winner of our contest is ZACH HOLMES, whose response was "I live in a van, DOWN BY THE RIVER".

On Saturday, October 16, John Sharkey III will perform as Puerto Rico Flowers here in Baltimore. The show will take place at the Talking Head, and is the only North American performance by the ex-Clockcleaner vocalist's new project to be played in 2010.



The current Australian resident relinquished his first EP under the new moniker early this year on Fan Death, which featured the unfuckwithable doom pop ballad "Let's Make Friends". Puerto Rico Flowers also dropped  a new 7" single this summer that was backed with a gloriously tragic Neil Young cover. Fan Death recently let us know that a brand new full length called 7 will be released early next year.

I've got a pair of tickets to give away to this show. Send an email on over to bmoremusicallyinformed@gmail.com with your favorite Neil Young song, and we'll pick a winner a few days before the show. The evening also sports killer support from Pfisters and Screen Vinyl Image, both of which also have recordings with Baltimore's Fan Death.

Fan Death Fall Mixtape

Baltimore-based Fan Death Records has continued to relinquish noisy and jaded sounds from the likes of artists mostly not from their home state. The most recent exception to this rule is an incredible seven inch from Baltimore mainstay Jason Urick.

Today the label put together a stellar Fall mixtape, highlighting some current sounds the label has to offer. Included in the mix is the A-side of Urick's recent 7 inch called "This Is Critical", a haunting wash of noise suitable for any variety of freak out.

The mix also boasts sounds from Puerto Rico Flowers, Screen Vinyl Image, Clockcleaner, Broken Water, Homostupids, and Lamps. Look for more great things to come from these dudes this coming fall. Take a listen to the mix which has taken over their site here.

Show: Puerto Rico Flowers @ Talking Head

The fellows at Fan Death Records sent me over the debut EP from Puerto Rico Flowers sometime early last Fall. I and many others were instantly hooked, and 4 became one of their many standout releases. It was recently followed up with a 7 inch titled 2 that contained a Neil Young cover that was somehow even darker than the original.

Whenever I've chatted with Chris and Sean about John Sharkey's solo project, I've always been told that no interviews would ever be granted and nor would live shows be planned. Well the latter has now chaged, as Puerto Rico Flowers is now slated to play in Baltimore this October.


Puerto Rico Flowes - Let's Make Friends

The event will go down at the Talking Head on October 16th, and will feature DC's Screen Vinyl Image and Baltimore's Pfisters. This will be the the one and only North American gig for the project in 2010, and Sean of Fan Death said the other night, "who knows maybe last PRF show ever." So yeah, who knows.

Puerto Rico Flowers also has another release with Fan Death in the works, to be titled 7. I got a chance to spend some time with the lead track off of 7 this week, and can assuredly report that this is yet another PRF release folks should definitely be stoked about. I would highly suggest snatching a copy of 2 while you still can, and the same goes for tickets to the show in October.

Puerto Rico Flowers: 4

One of Baltimore's up and coming labels, Fan Death Records, has been absolutely killing it all year. They've got a new release in the works that they are pretty stoked about, and with good reason.

From re-releasing The New Flesh's first joint, to putting out another damn fine Locrian tape, Fan Death is having a great year and isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Fan Death kindly let me have first crack at a four song EP they've got slated for early next year. The record is the debut EP from a project dubbed Puerto Rico Flowers, and it is titled 4.

4 is set to drop on 12 inch vinyl on January 19th, and comes courtesy of a solo project out of both the U.S. and Australia. John Sharkey III is responsible for writing and recording these four tracks, once a member of Clockclean Er.

These songs are constructed with bass, percussion, synths, and capped off with Sharkey's deeply booming vocals. Each track is equally strong, but "Lets Make Friends" is the best jumping off point. This is an epic doom pop ballad that's got you hooked after the first few notes. See for yourself:

The bass on this track hits notes that makes your stomach gurgle, a slow burner that is accented with pop song synths that would suffice on any sunny day car ride. All paired with roaring vocals that might be similar to what's found at a goth-biker funeral, it all seems like quite the unlikely place to uncover a pop song.

Similar descriptions can be made about the other three tracks, but all are totally dynamic in their own ways. There is an almost chamber pop sound, but completely twisted with darkness and on a much more grandiose scale. These tracks are certainly a new direction for Fan Death, but not too far off from their Ringo Deathstarr re-release. Puerto Rico Flowers currently has no plans for a tour or anything of that nature, but trust me, this EP is all you need.