I am cursed. My curse is that every time I get really into a band or artist, to the point of putting their name in the bio of my staff profile—they release a highly disappointing album. Unfortunately, this time, the victim is flipturn.
Flipturn (stylized as flipturn), an indie rock band that gained traction in 2018, has recently released their sophomore studio album, Burnout Days. The band was surprisingly assembled while the members were still in high school—and, even more surprisingly, they are still together to this day (albeit with the addition of their guitarist/synthesizer and drummer). Their most popular song and the first to come across my discovery station, “August,” has characterized my indie playlists along with some of their other hits.
With this in mind, I was immensely excited when flipturn announced the release of Burnout Days in Sept. 2024—especially since it was announced on my birthday (immediately making my sweet 16 even sweeter). To me, that was a sign to acquire the tour tickets; however, I didn’t want to commit to a concert featuring music I didn’t know if I liked yet, songs that were set to release in January. My excitement built up as I counted down the days until Jan. 24.
As previously stated, it did not live up to my expectations. So much so that I waited an entire week to ferment in my puddle of disappointment until I finally wrote its review.
Upon listening to the album, it was clear that the previously released singles were significantly better than the majority of the album. A great deal of the songs felt boring, with lackluster drums, simple melodies, and a general absence of originality. Most of the tracks were in need of a clearer climax, and though a “chill” song doesn’t mean it’s bad, it still is very out of character for flipturn. Their older music has an essence of vulnerability expressed through a tumultuous vocal part, interesting drums, and a quality synth line; straying away from this felt unlike them.
I’m not saying that they shouldn’t deviate from their general niche of alternative music. But the cleanliness and simplicity of this album felt so unlike them to the point of feeling forced. While I easily recognized my favorite band through their plucky lead guitar, distinguishable synth, and Dillon Basse’s identifiable vocals, the general atmosphere of the album was a lackluster, churned-out imitation of some of their previously released music.
That being said, there were still a few tracks in the album that stood out, showing the band’s artistry through truly original music.
“Juno,” released on Oct. 24, 2024, was one of these stand-out songs. The song had a very peppy synth feel to it. I especially like the rhythm of the pre-chorus. While it wasn’t my favorite song, it stood out among the rest of the tracks and will 100% be added to my girly, synth-pop playlist.
Probably the best track on the album, though not a single, was “Right?” The drums, though they got boring in some parts, were really interesting overall, especially in the climax—the climax that most of the songs lacked. On top of a clear summit, the lyrics were highly captivating and contained the emotional vulnerability that I was searching for in the rest of the album. Though I usually dislike a repeating word or phrase in the bridge, this was executed in an enthralling way, making me enjoy the song even more.
Some other songs I enjoyed, though not as much as “Right?” or “Juno,” were “Rodeo Clown,” a single released on my birthday (which maybe made me a little biased), and “Sunlight,” a single released last November.
Overall, Burnout Days was hugely disappointing. I was thoroughly satisfied by songs like “Right?” and “Juno,” but most of my sweet sixteen surprise will remain out of my alternative playlists.
