Pitchfork

If the band name and song title didn't tip you off, London's the Flowers of Hell are a proverbial "study in contrasts." Combining ringing electric guitars and swirling psychedelic effects with strings and horns, the group carries on in the swooning psych-rock tradition of Spacemen 3 and Spiritualized. "Sympathy for Vengeance", from their self-titled debut, shows the band's mix of sounds at its most accessible. In nearly eight minutes, the track glides from stately anthemics to lyrical, percussionless ambiance, ending in a cataclysm of dirty groove and shrill distortion. Just try to overlook the part that sounds kinda like Coldplay's "Yellow".

MP3: > The Flowers of Hell: "Sympathy for Vengeance"

[from The Flowers of Hell; out now on Earworm]