London-based alt-rock band The Open Flames have finally unleashed their much-anticipated debut album, ‘Same Time Next Year’—a record brimming with raw energy, literary storytelling, and dynamic sonic textures. Fueled by the momentum of their 2024 teaser singles Drop a Coin and Eat Alone, the album cements the band’s place in the alt-rock landscape, offering a bold and emotionally charged journey through sound and experience.
Spanning from the Dungeons & Dragons-inspired groove of Drop a Coin to the early-Replacements-esque fury of Lockdown, Same Time Next Year delivers an exhilarating mix of anthemic rock and intimate reflection. At the heart of it all is David Eastman’s gruff yet poetic lyricism, which he and co-vocalist Paige Brubeck bring to life through vivid character-driven narratives. The band’s cinematic storytelling is elevated by Evan Sult’s thunderous drums (formerly of Harvey Danger), Brubeck and Len Bendel’s fluid, inventive basslines, and a full spectrum of distorted, feedback-soaked guitar tones. The album pulls influences from R.E.M.’s arena-rock grandeur, Neil Young’s visceral guitar grit, and X’s raucous punk spirit, all while maintaining a distinct, modern edge.
“This album is about growing into a band together,” says drummer Evan Sult. “It started as a rekindled friendship. David has been living all over the world, experiencing some wild, surreal conditions in both developing and wealthy countries. Meanwhile, I’ve been deep in the music scene with Paige, bouncing between major labels and indie labels. But David was the guy who first got me into playing music. When he sent me a song, I instinctively knew what it needed—so we made it happen, recording whenever we could find time in London’s Camden Town.”
Born out of a cross-continental creative exchange, Same Time Next Year took shape between London, New York, and Paris, built on intense rehearsals, international listening sessions, and raucous late-night hangs. With roots in Say Yes Do Nothing, Harvey Danger, and Sleepy Kitty, The Open Flames channel both experience and raw attitude, crafting a record that burns bright with urgency and emotional depth.
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