Biography
Originating in New York City as a post-punk outfit, Flower attracted more attention after their dissolution than during the years they operated between 1986 and 1990. Their sound centered on guitar-driven indie rock that paired a raw, noisy edge with melodic frameworks rooted in strong pop songwriting. Both of the band’s early full-length releases later appeared together on the 1994 compilation Concrete Sky, which drew notice only after several ex-members launched the more prominent group Versus and prompted retrospective interest in Flower’s earlier work. Following a 2018 reunion, the band issued a third album, None Is (But Once Was), in 2020.
The original configuration included Richard Baluyut on guitar, Ian James handling bass and vocals, Yosh Najita on keyboards, and Rob Hale behind the drums. Operating their own B Records imprint, they issued an initial three-song 12-inch EP called Crash. Regular performances around New York placed them within the same abrasive underground circuit that had already produced Sonic Youth and Swans. After Yosh Najita and Rob Hale departed, Andrew Bordwin assumed drumming duties; rather than replacing the keyboardist, the group expanded its guitar lineup by adding Ed Baluyut, Richard’s brother. This lineup secured a release through the independent Bear Records label for their debut album, Concrete, in 1988. Critical response proved favorable, yet commercial reach remained limited, and the follow-up, Hologram Sky, appeared only in Germany via Semaphore in 1990. Once that record emerged, Ian James exited and Fontaine Toups joined on bass; her time with the band proved brief, as Flower disbanded before the year ended.
During Flower’s final period Richard Baluyut had already begun planning his next project, and Versus’s first roster included three former Flower members—Richard Baluyut, Ed Baluyut, and Fontaine Toups—while original drummer Rob Hale rejoined in place of Bordwin. Versus achieved a level of independent-scene visibility that Flower had never reached, and by 1994 growing curiosity among Versus listeners led Simple Machines to release Concrete Sky, which compiled both earlier albums plus one previously unavailable track from a European sampler. The band reconvened for several shows marking the collection’s appearance. Meanwhile Ian James had entered Cell, a group signed to Geffen Records through part-time A&R representative Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, resulting in the 1993 album Slo*Blo and the 1994 follow-up Living Room. After Cell ended, James formed French, whose lineup also featured ex-Flower drummer Andrew Bordwin.
In 2018 Richard Baluyut, Ed Baluyut, Ian James, and Andrew Bordwin reconvened for several Flower performances, and the next year they released the single “Names” b/w “Talk” while supporting Sebadoh on tour. July 2020 brought None Is (But Once Was), a ten-song album of new original material issued by Ernest Jenning Record Co.
The original configuration included Richard Baluyut on guitar, Ian James handling bass and vocals, Yosh Najita on keyboards, and Rob Hale behind the drums. Operating their own B Records imprint, they issued an initial three-song 12-inch EP called Crash. Regular performances around New York placed them within the same abrasive underground circuit that had already produced Sonic Youth and Swans. After Yosh Najita and Rob Hale departed, Andrew Bordwin assumed drumming duties; rather than replacing the keyboardist, the group expanded its guitar lineup by adding Ed Baluyut, Richard’s brother. This lineup secured a release through the independent Bear Records label for their debut album, Concrete, in 1988. Critical response proved favorable, yet commercial reach remained limited, and the follow-up, Hologram Sky, appeared only in Germany via Semaphore in 1990. Once that record emerged, Ian James exited and Fontaine Toups joined on bass; her time with the band proved brief, as Flower disbanded before the year ended.
During Flower’s final period Richard Baluyut had already begun planning his next project, and Versus’s first roster included three former Flower members—Richard Baluyut, Ed Baluyut, and Fontaine Toups—while original drummer Rob Hale rejoined in place of Bordwin. Versus achieved a level of independent-scene visibility that Flower had never reached, and by 1994 growing curiosity among Versus listeners led Simple Machines to release Concrete Sky, which compiled both earlier albums plus one previously unavailable track from a European sampler. The band reconvened for several shows marking the collection’s appearance. Meanwhile Ian James had entered Cell, a group signed to Geffen Records through part-time A&R representative Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, resulting in the 1993 album Slo*Blo and the 1994 follow-up Living Room. After Cell ended, James formed French, whose lineup also featured ex-Flower drummer Andrew Bordwin.
In 2018 Richard Baluyut, Ed Baluyut, Ian James, and Andrew Bordwin reconvened for several Flower performances, and the next year they released the single “Names” b/w “Talk” while supporting Sebadoh on tour. July 2020 brought None Is (But Once Was), a ten-song album of new original material issued by Ernest Jenning Record Co.
Albums
Singles
