Flashes – ILL WIND***

Walkin’ & Singin’/Sleep/Little Man/Dark World/LAPD/High Flying Bird/Hung Up Chick/People Of The Night/Full Cycle

Flashes was the sole album from the Boston psychedelic rock group Ill Wind. Their musical style was folk-rock mixed with their own distinctive brand of psychedelia.

“They tried their best, but they weren't very developed, a bit sloppy, their vocals raggedy, songs were blasé, and none of them memorable. Potential was there, but they were too much like a garage band that needed more rehearsals and better songs to find an identity. Flashes is for 1960s fanatics only.”

“A really impressive and wonderful west coast-styled psychedelic/acid folk in the vein of Jefferson Airplane, with amazing female vocals and a really nice guitar work. The first track is the weakest, but the rest are highlights.”

“It's tremendous, west-coast style, male/female vocal harmony psych, with a few country moves thrown into the mix. Outside of the excellent material, what sets their sound apart from the rest is the comparatively unusual vocal stylings of the two singers. Both are responsible for setting this a full notch above what it might otherwise rate. The diversity is also a plus, for those who might easily tire of similar music.”

“It's nice enough but just kind of floats by, not really providing any moments that give me pause. There's nothing bad here either. It all just seems rather like harmless, hippy folk rock music. Not that there's anything wrong with that.”

“One of the best West-coast hippie bands. Great cover of High Flying Bird and Dark World blows your mind. There is not a weak song on the album. The bass player and vocalist Connie Devaney are fantastic.”

“Group suffered from a lack of a consistent musical direction, uneven material and production that didn't make the most of the instrumental and vocal talent in the group. This album was a tense, brooding stew of folk-rock and freaky psychedelia that didn't quite coalesce, with the stirring, assertive vocals of Connie Devaney the best ingredient.”