Pink Flamingo
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KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES – PINK FLAMINGO – ALBUM REVIEW
There was naturally an air of sadness when Kids In Glass Houses split in 2014, but equally there was a sense of things running their course. Like many of their peers, momentum had slowed, and the unforgiving music industry was taking its toll.
A wave of bands hyped as the next big thing, because just another thing and the world seemed to be moving on without them. The funny thing though is that what is once thrown aside and labelled out of time eventually turns into nostalgia and again following trend Kids In Glass Houses emerged from their self-imposed hiatus in 2023 to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of debut record ‘Smart Casual’.
That reunion hype continued past those original shows and eventually led to news of new music on the way. Well, now that music is here as they release their fifth studio album, ‘Pink Flamingo’!
The first thing to note about this album is that it’s anything but a standard “we’re back” type of release. It seems that even though they are technically still riding that wave of nostalgic momentum, they are keen to pick up where they left off rather than go all the way back to the beginning.
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There is a clear desire to expand on their sound and do something new and purposeful rather than just rely on what brought them to the dance in the first place. It’s ironic though that it’s a different breed of nostalgia that provides the soundscape for this album. Much love exists of late for the music of the 1980’s and that influence is worn with pride on this collection.
This does mean that much of the guitar driven impetus of their earlier work is sidelined and a more measured synth-laden sound surrounds each of these delicately crafted songs. You have to admire the ambition of the band, but with that there is a risk that ‘Pink Flamingo’ ultimately feels like it just tries too hard.
A similar sonic transformation has killed the momentum of a number of similar acts in recent years – Deaf Havana we’re looking at you! This album however is well produced and comes at a different career point for Kids In Glass Houses.
This album certainly deserves your respect and attention, it’s far from a bad album, indeed it’s a pretty damn good album – time though will tell if it’s the right album at the right time for a band looking to re-establish themselves in what is now an even harder industry than the one they left!
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