FLUTTR EFFECT

FLUTTR's head is in the art clouds while their feet are planted on solid heavy metal. They take Bulgarian Folk music, Irish fiddling, powerful guitar riffs, solid drumming and Trott's voice -- which puts one in mind somewhat of Natalie Merchant locked in a beautifully mortal battle with Evanescence's Amy Lee -- and then they place those elements in a blender during a midnight ceremony and see what pours out. Couple that with FLUTTR's unique visual style, and it's a potent, exotic cocktail. There's truly no one else out there doing quite what they're doing with their combination of art, Rock and passion. You'll be surprised at how much a marimba can actually rock.

Dale Johnson
Cincinnati Citybeat - Cincinnati Citybeat

Trithemis Festiva, the debut album from Boston's Fluttr Effect, is so dense, multifaceted and rich in musical adventurousness that it's difficult to categorize. Which makes reviewing it a royal pain in the ass. Especially when their live show has set impossibly high expectations...

Live, Fluttr Effect is an incredibly accessible and fun arty rock band with unique instrumentation and Kara Trott - a long, sinewy pixie lead singer who captivates the audience with her animated, fully-present style of performing. With Valerie Thompson on electric cello, Vessela Stoyanova on MIDI marimba, Troy Kidwell on electric guitar and Jason Marchionna on drums, the band has created compositions that incorporate Bulgarian folk melodies, odd meters, heavy metal guitar riffs, and spacious sparkly tones with an overall effect that is mesmerizing. Their unique musical atmosphericism combined with the humorous, friendly banter between Trott and Thompson in between songs creates an experience that is as musically fresh as it is socially satisfying. Fluttr Effect is refreshing as an "art-rock" band in that they actually care whether or not you get what they're up to. They invite you into their world and make it safe and fun to stretch your ears and take in something new.

On record, the game of describing them becomes much more sophisticated. The arrangements are clear and expansive, and the depth of their musical innovation is made obvious. The record is dark and moody, but not pretentious; it's dark and moody and beautiful. It breathes and undulates with sensuality and passion, grounded by a sense of discipline that keeps it from being overwhelming: the songs are meticulously composed, which could translate into rigid and boring in the hands of lesser musicians; here, though, there is room for nuance and personality that makes for a very enjoyable listen.

This is the point in the review where song descriptions, comparisons to other groups, a discussion of influences, etc. are supposed to happen; to be perfectly honest, I am at a loss as to how to do this. Fluttr Effect has come up with such a unique flavor of rock, incorporating elements of Swedish shred-metal, a sense of the epic found in progressive rock, pop songwriting, middle-eastern and eastern European folk music, goth sensibilities, and a general sense of adventurousness and willingness to embrace the beautifully dark, that to break it down song-by-song would: a) take far too long to accomplish, and b) do the album (and you, its potential listener) a disservice by dissecting something that is best taken in as a whole.

So I leave it in your hands: go see Fluttr Effect live; visit their website (www.fluttr.com), get their record, and let them wash over you. Completely.

Fluttreffect: Trithemis Festiva
Shawn Madden
Skope Magazine
- Skope Magazine

"a really unique offering...While many bands sound similar to other groups, I can't help but call Fluttr Effect one-of-a-kind and surprisingly fresh"

~Mage, RockReviews.org - RockReviews.org

"They are unique. That is one of the reasons why I like them very much. Another reason is that they manage to capture my interest and make me feel things. Fresh and emotional, can one ask for more?

In my world Fluttr Effect is one of the most interesting bands I have heard during the new century and "Marking time" is to me highly enjoyable and an album which stands repeated listening."

Hansi Cross
Progress Records - ProgressRecords.com

"a really unique offering...While many bands sound similar to other groups, I can't help but call Fluttr Effect one-of-a-kind and surprisingly fresh"

~Mage, RockReviews.org - RockReviews.org

"One band that we came up with in this art rock scene that are great. They are a progressive metal band with hard rock, but they use cello, and marimbas, drums, and sort of hard metal guitar, with a really great female vocalist. They have really interesting stuff."

~Brian Viglione, Dresden Dolls - Dresden Dolls

Some albums sink in after one or two spins. Fluttr Effect’s second release, Marking Time, is not one of those albums. After more than a dozen spins, in fact, it’s still frustratingly difficult to describe this record to those who haven’t heard it.

The Boston-based quintet flutter from progressive rock to gothic metal to Irish folk to trip-hop to Top 40 pop throughout Marking Time’s 11 tracks. Vocalist Kara Trott manages to alternately sound like Pat Benatar, Madonna, The Gathering’s Anneke van Giersbergen and No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani while Fluttr Effect’s music sounds nothing like those artists. OK, maybe The Gathering is a fair comparison on a few songs, such has the first half of “Hollywood Is … Porn.” But the second half of that song couldn’t be any further removed from the first half, including what appears to be a sexy French conversation between a man and a woman. "Venus Loves Hades" stands out with a remarkable chorus and clever lyrics, while “Don’t Know What You’re Living For” could even work on American Top 40 radio, thanks to its accessible keyboard melody, bouncy vocals and downright dance-worthiness. Too bad it's seven minutes long.

Eschewing traditional bass for electric cello and adding a MIDI marimba to the mix of drums, percussion, guitars and Trott’s distinct vocals gives Fluttr Effect a quirkiness often missing in modern prog music. While many bands still use Genesis, Yes, Marillion and Dream Theater as starting points, Fluttr Effect starts wherever the hell they want. And that’s truly progressive. Like A.C.T.’s recent Silence, Marking Time really is, cliché be damned, one of those albums that you need to hear — over and over and over — to even begin to grasp what this band is doing.

Fluttr Effect: Marking Time
Michael Popke
Sea Of Tranquility
- Sea of Tranquility

"One band that we came up with in this art rock scene that are great. They are a progressive metal band with hard rock, but they use cello, and marimbas, drums, and sort of hard metal guitar, with a really great female vocalist. They have really interesting stuff."

~Brian Viglione, Dresden Dolls - Dresden Dolls

FLUTTR EFFECT
Fluttr Effect 4-song CD
This is a band that has never ceased to impress or amaze me since day one. With the departure of lead singer Kara Trott, rather than try to find someone else that fits the mold, this band has broken that mold and completely reinvented itself in a bold way. Though I miss the overt progressive elements that first endeared me to the band, Fluttr Effect has redefined its sound and approach entirely by writing intensely powerful and intelligent songs that smack the listener into focusing on the band as a whole, rather than providing a backdrop. There are hooks, musically and vocally. The vocals duties, handled mostly by Troy Kidwell are also split between Midi-Mallet Percussionist Vessela Stoyanova and Cellist Valerie Thompson. The call and response approach provides a unique interplay between the singers in the band, presenting an additional counterpoint hitherto unexplored. Fluttr Effect has made that transition from group to band. This is more than worth a listen. (Joel Simches) - The Noise Boston

Grabbing your attention from the very beginning, Fluttr Effect launches into “Transmission,” the first song on Trithemis Festiva with a double-bass drum onslaught usually found on Swedish Death Metal albums. Jason Marchionna manages to incorporate this technique with pop synth sounds produced by the band’s MIDI marimba player, Vessela Stoyanova, and the rock/pop Cello playing of Valerie Thompson. Marchionna then brings the song full circle to a Stuart Copeland-like syncopation, and as Kara Trott’s haunting vocals come in, you know that this is an album you have to sit down and listen to from beginning to end. Successive songs are just as captivating as “Transmission.” Tracks to note include the melancholy “Flann O’Brien,” with expert guitar work by Troy Kidwell, and the heavy cello riffs of “I Want You Now,” replete with symth bullet attacks from the MIDI Marimba. The song “Say Goodbye” is a personal favorite for it’s catchy and thought provoking lyrical content, as well as the songs drive to succinctly touch upon all the diversity and expertise that is present in FluttrEffect. Fluttr Effect aren’t content to rest on the typical chemistry of pop formulas though; each song provides a diverse and dynamic feel. The range of musical textures on Trithemis Festiva range from trip-hop to 80s techno beats to power pop sensibilities overlaid with smart progressive architectural elements, highlighting this album and this band as a force to be reckoned with in the evolving decade.

Shaun G. McNamara
Metronome Magazine - Metronome Magazine

Grabbing your attention from the very beginning, Fluttr Effect launches into “Transmission,” the first song on Trithemis Festiva with a double-bass drum onslaught usually found on Swedish Death Metal albums. Jason Marchionna manages to incorporate this technique with pop synth sounds produced by the band’s MIDI marimba player, Vessela Stoyanova, and the rock/pop Cello playing of Valerie Thompson. Marchionna then brings the song full circle to a Stuart Copeland-like syncopation, and as Kara Trott’s haunting vocals come in, you know that this is an album you have to sit down and listen to from beginning to end. Successive songs are just as captivating as “Transmission.” Tracks to note include the melancholy “Flann O’Brien,” with expert guitar work by Troy Kidwell, and the heavy cello riffs of “I Want You Now,” replete with symth bullet attacks from the MIDI Marimba. The song “Say Goodbye” is a personal favorite for it’s catchy and thought provoking lyrical content, as well as the songs drive to succinctly touch upon all the diversity and expertise that is present in FluttrEffect. Fluttr Effect aren’t content to rest on the typical chemistry of pop formulas though; each song provides a diverse and dynamic feel. The range of musical textures on Trithemis Festiva range from trip-hop to 80s techno beats to power pop sensibilities overlaid with smart progressive architectural elements, highlighting this album and this band as a force to be reckoned with in the evolving decade.

Shaun G. McNamara
Metronome Magazine - Metronome Magazine

Put together these ingredients carefully: an electric marimba player from Bulgaria, a drummer who grew up on death metal, a classically trained cellist, a guitarist who loves Rush and Queensryche, and a Native American singer from New Hampshire who learned to sing at powwows and chanting sessions.

The result of this unusual chemistry is Fluttreffect, whose expressive theatrics and original art-rock/prog-rock sound have made it one of the most exciting new acts in Boston.

Steve Morse
Boston Globe - Boston Globe

Put together these ingredients carefully: an electric marimba player from Bulgaria, a drummer who grew up on death metal, a classically trained cellist, a guitarist who loves Rush and Queensryche, and a Native American singer from New Hampshire who learned to sing at powwows and chanting sessions.

The result of this unusual chemistry is Fluttreffect, whose expressive theatrics and original art-rock/prog-rock sound have made it one of the most exciting new acts in Boston.

Steve Morse
Boston Globe - Boston Globe

FLUTTR EFFECT plays music that demands to be heard so go ahead and listen to a new generation.

Leah Gladu
168 Magazine


- 168 Magazine

FLUTTR EFFECT plays music that demands to be heard so go ahead and listen to a new generation.

Leah Gladu
168 Magazine


- 168 Magazine