Now Hear This: Girl Prometheus (Flower Face)

Flower Face is a breath of fresh air, and her new album “Girl Prometheus” is essential; every note is the right one, and every song soars.

In this digital age of constant coverage and precious few secrets, it’s always refreshing to accidentally stumble across a heretofore undiscovered music artist. Just when I think I’ve reached the end of the musical rainbow and there’s nothing new to hear, some artist comes screaming out of left field to prove me wrong.

Flower Face is the latest such musician to catch me off guard.

Hailing from Canada, singer/songwriter Ruby McKinnon (aka Flower Face), at only twenty-five years old, has just released “Girl Prometheus”, her fourth full-length album. Despite her youth, there’s an “old soul” feeling to her recordings, a maturity generally reserved for those who’ve seen a few more rotations around the sun. Her music is also effortlessly haunting and perfectly impactful, which is hardly a surprise considering Ruby has been playing various instruments since age five (and creating her own original compositions since she was fourteen).

If I were to compare her music to other artists, I would say that Flower Face sounds something like a mashup of Phoebe Bridgers, Lights, and Ships in the Night, all of whom are musicians that I enjoy and deeply admire.

But, although her music may be reminiscent of other indie female artists, Flower Face occupies a category all her own – her bespoke sound, low-fi and soul-searching, perfectly complements her insightful, incisive, and vulnerable lyrics.

While acoustic guitar and piano feature prominently in most of her mid-tempo songs, there are also elements of electronica, rock, ethereal, and ambient to be found.

The results are impressive: out of the eleven songs on “Girl Prometheus”, which clocks in at forty minutes in length, there’s not a weak or filler track to be found.

Although not horror-focused per se, her lyrics generally cut straight to the bone, discussing love, loss, disappointment, and yearning in ways that are abstract yet relatable.

I always hesitate to make comparisons to seminal artists like Stevie Nicks… but I can comfortably say that some of Ruby’s lyrics and delivery remind me of said gypsy queen. I fully expect to hear one of her songs on an indie horror soundtrack at some point, just by virtue of how haunting her tracks are, if nothing else. Bonus points for the album artwork – simple, evocative, captivating.

Standout tracks include:

Biblical Love: The leadoff track to “Girl Prometheus” is also the first song of Ruby’s that I heard. It drew me in immediately, especially once it reached about halfway through when it veered into more aggressive rock territory. Everything about this song just works, from the lyrics, the haunting acoustic guitar, the gentle intro, and the stomping beat once the song reaches its midpoint. Many of her songs have a dreamlike quality, and Biblical Love is no exception. This is the kind of track that should be featured in a movie or TV show – it would enhance any scene it accompanies.

Valentine: Wistful and melancholic, Valentine just might be the most lyrically powerful song on the album. An honest examination of young love, the kind of “us against the world” relationship that most of us had in our twenties, Valentine is, at times, a hard song to listen to. Insights into a painful childhood loom like phantoms and layered over the laid-back guitar and calm vocal delivery are strands of real pain and confusion, many of which we can all commiserate with.

Cordelia: A piano-driven affair, Cordelia would likely be the song I would introduce new listeners to. It’s very on point and bears just about all the hallmarks of a Flower Face song. My only complaint is that it’s over too soon (which may just inadvertently resonate with the song’s topic).

Pushing Daisies: A departure from the piano and/or guitar-driven tracks, Pushing Daisies is a slow-burn electronica ode to unrequited love. Another lyrical powerhouse, “If My Love Is a Victimless Crime, you’d Rather Be Bruised,” is still very much a Flower Face song despite the alternate instruments in play. This is one to play on a late-night drive when deep in the emotional doldrums.

Honestly, there’s not much else I can say about “Girl Prometheus” by Flower Face.

Not only is it one of the best album names I’ve heard in a very long time (I’ve always been a fan of the Prometheus myth itself, Mary Shelley’s book title, or both), but every single song is a winner.

It’s rare when I find an LP that I can listen to from start to finish without wanting to skip at least one track, but “Girl Prometheus” just achieved a new high score in that department. I will now be on a mission to acquire at least one signed vinyl from this amazing artist. She is absolutely one to keep an eye on, and I fully expect to see her star rising high in the near future.

Highly recommended!