Cave Flowers - Western Spectre (2025) Hi-Res

Cave Flowers offers an earthy, rock-solid appeal on the band’s sophomore release. Cave Flowers got its start in 2020 when Andy McAllister split the Pacific Northwest for the hazy hills of Southern California where he connected with guitar slinger Henry Derek Elis, who brought equal parts Waylon Jennings and Creedence Clearwater Revival to the table. This was the equivalent of taking the James Taylor highway to a partnership (I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain). The band quickly took shape by adding Ben Coil on bass and Curtis Pettygrove on drums. Jon Niemann of GospelbeacH was enlisted to add keys.

With Chris Rondinella at the controls, Cave Flowers produced their eponymous debut featuring a freewheeling California vibe on such tunes as ‘Midnight Movie’ mingling with sonic, Crazy Horse guitar bursts on ‘Renter.’ McAllister’s stolid vocals fit the approach of the album, gritty country and grainy rock ‘n’ roll blended and agitated into a rambling groove recalling early Jeff Tweedy efforts.

After an extended time woodshedding, Cave Flowers whittled down the next batch of matchstick men tunes for their upcoming second album “Western Spectre.” The slow-cooked rock with a basted side of country ribs embodies what they begrudgingly love about the beautiful mess of living in the everything-town of Los Angeles. Well, some wouldn’t call the mess of L.A. beautiful.

Cave Flowers’ presentation definitely employs some smouldering rock guitar in their arsenal of tools. ‘Garbage and Gold’ also features roll up your sleeves, rollicking piano. “You got lightning in a bottle / then why don’t you let it go?” Well, I’ll keep mine contained for future use, thank you very much. ‘Invisible Tonight’ begins as a folk-rock confessional before Elis’ guitar lifts the song off into a Stratocast-pheric orbit a la ‘Mr. Soul’.

This is just Cave Flowers second album yet it sounds like they have been at it for years. “Western Spectre” is a dependable set of well-crafted, buoyant songs with thoughtful imagery that can be elusively hard to pin down. Some of the lyrics pack a punch that appeals to the listener’s more adventurous side; for instance, on ‘Living Like a Rodeo,’ in which McAllister sings, “When you’re living like a rodeo / You’re up or you’re down / And they start cheering when you hit the ground”.

Occasionally Cave Flowers will hammer a hook into oblivion, finding new meaning by letting a line repeat and repeat, “She’s got the heart of hearts …..” building a strong foundation to support the breezy, country-rock lament. Then, in ‘Leave Your Light On’ a reverb-drenched guitar solo paves the way for a “A Whitesnake button on those denim jeans / Putting rocks inside your shoes / Reminds you got something to lose”.

McAllister has a voice suited for this kind of music with his dusty growl and just enough grit to scuff up the sweeter melodies. On ‘Old Sunglasses’ he sings over a shuffle that suggests Cave Flowers aren’t going to avoid putting a little softness into their music this time around. “I wear your old sunglasses / When I can’t sleep thru the night / Helps me see through the darkness / You always eased my worried mind”.

The record offers a diverse palette of sparkling lines, dusty acoustic strums and in the case of ‘Good Luck Charm’ an upbeat, midwestern Mellencamp sound drawn out perhaps a little long for its lyrical content. But the other extended track – ‘Invisible Tonight’ – seems to zip past like a midnight train while taking the listener to a solemn, shadowy place. It’s one of those songs you hope never ends.

There is an unhurried elegance to the band’s music. Mostly mid-paced, these are songs that snake and go spelunking along with spot-on pacing and an organic feel that never places flashy playing over serving the song best. There’s a relaxed and organic mood to the entire record. Melodies hang and cascade over tumbling Levon Helm-styled rhythms in a loose, redwoodsy way. It’s catchy and full of gentle twists and tunes that will draw you into their world where you can spend an enjoyable forty minutes or so.