If members of The Cars, The Strokes, and The Pretenders held a jam session while playing Castlevania on the old-school Nintendo, it might sound like the sophomore effort from Brooklyn’s The Flesh. Firetower’s eleven tracks rush through in under 29 minutes blending the varied melodies of bands like No Doubt and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (channeling a voice closer to Stefani than Karen O) while still managing to mostly sound surprisingly original. Gabriella Zappia takes the vocal reigns this time around and can seemingly do no wrong on the wickedly clever “The Cradle, The Brothel, and The Bible School,” the Agulera-lite “Justice,” the mellow “Cross the Ocean” and the bouncy title track. Firetower rarely succumbs to repetition, creating an enjoyable and entertaining album from a definite band to watch in 2007.
~ Matthew Olsen
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