On Jan. 24, 2025, the Jacksonville based band, Flipturn released their second full-length album. “Burnout Days” is comprised of 12 tracks which leads to a total listening time of 43 minutes. This new album is much faster in pace than their previous album, however Flipturn’s style of music shines through on every track. The album uses lots of synth and distorted instruments to create an interesting rock pop sound that grows on you the more you listen.
The opening track, “Juno,” starts with a synth that skips every few seconds leading into a solid rhythm from the drums. By the first song you can start to see a major strength of Flipturn’s, their lyrics and vocals. Lead singer Dillion Basse has a voice different from most male lead vocalists you will find. Able to hit high notes while still being smooth and enjoyable to listen to, it is clear to see that Basse’s has an impressive range. The lyrics of each song on the album are well thought out and often create word play that may go unrecognized if you are not carefully listening.
The second track, “Rodeo Clown,” is a slower song than the opening track but keeps the synth. The song is about a guy realizing how he is a rodeo clown within a relationship. It also has lyrics that start to reveal a major theme within most of the tracks on the album, addiction. Clearly the relationship in question was heavily affected by the highs and intoxications experienced by the vocalist.
As track three approaches, we can still find the synth, but it becomes much easier to hear talented musicians as the bassline and electric guitar become more prevalent. Along with the musicians, a background of crickets is added into the soundscape for the first 30 seconds or so. This song highlights the talents of the entire band as we get a guitar solo towards the middle of the song, as well as vocals that are only empowered by the music going on. The next two tracks, “Sunlight” and “Moon Rocks,” are similar in the way that they focus more on traditional instruments as opposed to synth and techno sounds.
Track number six is one of the albums strongest tracks. Lyrics reveal that the vocalist, or perhaps the whole band, are struggling with expectations that have been put on them. The lyric “Someone took meaning from the love of your life,” seems to be about industry standards and deadlines robbing the band of their love for creating music and instead turning it into a job. The song carries more of a rock sound and drops some of the popish sound that is found in most Flipturn songs. The song is much heavier both in lyrics and in sound.
Another stand out song is track number eight, “Swim Between Trees.” By far one of the most positive songs on the track, we hear about the vocalist and his partner. This song is also one of the most balanced songs when it comes to traditional instruments and synth. The main idea of the song has to do with the vocalist’s own struggles with self-worth and anxiety and how it plays into his relationship. A sweet song that breaks up some of the darker tones or themes of the rest of the album.
The final four songs of the album are good but can sometimes get lost when compared to some of the other songs of the album. One of the strongest parts of the album is the cohesiveness and vision that is carried out through each song. Flipturn knows their sound and what they are good at, and they make sure to capitalize on it.
A solid showing overall for just their second full length album. There should be much to look forward to in the future.
