Review Summary: A shot of pure adrenaline to the ear canals.
We all like to have fun. It’s a universal desire that unites all of humanity, an innate itching to let loose and get jiggy with it that guides many of our most significant decisions. We all want success and power and renown, of course, but there’s not a man on God’s green Earth who doesn’t value his leisure time like a firstborn son.
Modern Space are well aware of this fundamental truth and waste no time in delivering their delightful aural confections to the most fun-starved crevices of the human mind. There’s an almost supernatural sense of groove that permeates through
Flip for It, demanding that feet tap, hands clap, and mouths curve in an upward trajectory. The opening one-two punch of “Do or Dare” and the title track is a direct hit to the soul, a mind-bending shot of fuzzy guitar licks and tight falsetto hooks that could inject some color into even the blackest of hearts. This feel-good energy simply rolls on like a runaway train, with the absurdly catchy “A Small Pocket” and “Just Quit” keeping the party going strong.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this initial four-song run is the sheer number of ways that Modern Space knock it out of the park. They pull off guitar riffs from fuzzy to jangly and vocals from frantic rock’n’roll yelps to tight, modern falsetto croons, resulting in a surprisingly interesting and diverse listening experience from such a young band. Sure, nothing diverts significantly from the alternative or pop rock sphere, but Modern Space do their best to explore its every nook and cranny.
In essence, these first four songs are the bread and butter of the record. Things get a little bumpy with “Ship is Sinking” and “Goodbye Elora,” two mid-to-slow tempo tracks that, while solid enough, probably shouldn’t have been placed consecutively in the track listing. Nonetheless, this slight unevenness is easily forgiven when you’re having
this much damn fun, which you almost surely will be. It’s largely smooth sailing from that point, anyways, as Modern Space continue to serve up a monsoon of hooks stickier than a horse on its way home from the factory. They switch things up a tad with the slow-burning closer “Dancing Underwater,” but it’s a characteristically excellent conclusion to a truly stellar debut LP.
Flip for It is a fun album for a fun world, and I simply haven’t been able to put it down since its release. In fact, I’m listening to it right now, and likely will do so at least three or four more times before the night’s end. I suggest you do the same.
