Album review: Badflower – No Place Like Home

Badflower’s successes – be it gracing U.S. late-night TV or racking up hundreds of millions of streams – can be attributed at least in part to the polished, efficient means by which they present their brand of rock. The Nashville-via-Los Angeles four-piece are an easily accessible, radio-friendly bunch, but three albums in, it’s not unfair to expect the band to start spreading their wings and reaching for something a little more pioneering and impactful, to start building a genuine legacy for their band.

Thankfully, No Place Like Home, at least in part, sets Badflower down this path, with some of their most emotionally affecting songwriting to date. The album’s early tracks feature familiar riffy, ominous rockers like the title-track, which calls to mind Muse and Royal Blood, while the vocal harmonies on London demonstrate the obvious talents of frontman Josh Katz and guitarist/vocalist Joey Morrow. Snuff, meanwhile, is perhaps the most glaring example of the ease with which Badflower can pen slick, functional radio-rock.

The stronger moments on No Place Like Home, though, come in the record’s second half, where Badflower turn towards an emo-inflected approach which feels more authentic and ups the album’s sense of urgency. The raw emotion of Detroit is a highlight, but the pick of the bunch is recent single Paws, whose simple vocal refrain – ‘I’m all out of love since she’s gone’ – is elevated to great heights thanks to Josh’s vulnerable delivery and the emotive, atmospheric musical backdrop conjured by his bandmates. A track about losing a dearly loved furry friend, it’s delivered with the kind of emotional heft that will leave any pet lover scrambling for the tissues.

Lean more on that obvious proficiency for emo songwriting in the future, and Badflower will melt even more black hearts.

Verdict: 3/5

For fans of: Muse, Royal Blood, Boston Manor

No Place Like Home is released on June 20 via Big Machine Rock