Durand Jones & the Indications Flowers
Durand Jones & the Indications's Flowers arrives as a sunlit celebration of retro 1970s soul, trading modern reinvention for vaulted vocal warmth and lush arrangements that critics agree often pay off. Across professional reviews, the record's strongest moments are its glide-and-groove cuts that marry romance and resilience, and reviewers repeatedly point to songs such as “Really Wanna Be With You”, “Flower Moon”, “Lovers' Holiday” and “Paradise” as the best songs on Flowers. With a consensus score of 74.5/100 from four reviews, the critical reception frames the album as a solid, well-crafted continuation of the band's neo-soul revivalism rather than a dramatic reinvention.
Critics consistently praise Durand Jones' vocal prowess and the band’s restrained approach to lush, danceable grooves and disco-funk touches. Dusted Magazine admires the polished, effortless moments while wishing for deeper probing; The Spill Magazine and Glide highlight the bright production, falsetto flourishes and twinkling piano on standout tracks like “Paradise” and “Lovers' Holiday”. The Skinny emphasizes how “Flower Moon”, “Really Wanna Be With You” and “If Not For Love” distill the record's nostalgic charm into emotional payoffs that feel both consoling and immediate.
Where reviews diverge is ambition versus comfort: some critics applaud the album's affectionate homage to classic Motown and 70s soul, while others note a reluctance to push beyond familiar territory. Overall the consensus suggests Flowers is worth listening to for those seeking romantic, retro-leaning soul with standout tracks that showcase Jones' voice and the band’s tasteful arrangements—an elegant, if occasionally cautious, addition to the group's catalog.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Really Wanna Be With You
3 mentions
"warbling guitars, keys, and strings push the light disco sound on “Really Wanna Be With You,”"— Glide Magazine
Flower Moon
3 mentions
"the grooving “Flower Moon” recalls the more easy-going sides of acts like Earth, Wind & Fire"— Glide Magazine
If Not For Love
3 mentions
"things move more into light funk for “If Not For Love”"— Glide Magazine
warbling guitars, keys, and strings push the light disco sound on “Really Wanna Be With You,”
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Flowers
Paradise
Lovers' Holiday
I Need The Answer
Flower Moon
Really Wanna Be With You
Been So Long
Everything
Rust and Steel
If Not For Love
Without You
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 5 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
The reviewer hears Durand Jones & the Indications leaning into retro soul on Flowers, and singles out breezy, polished moments as the album's best - tracks that glide rather than dig. They praise the record's smooth nods to classic acts while critiquing its reluctance to probe deeper. For listeners searching for the best songs on Flowers, the review points to the most effortless, catchy cuts as highlights. The tone is admiring of craft but measured about ambition.
Key Points
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The best songs are those that capture the album's breezy, polished retro-soul aesthetic.
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The album's core strength is its smooth production and affectionate nods to classic soul idioms.
Critic's Take
In his warm, enthusiastic voice Joseph Mastel praises Durand Jones & the Indications for delivering a sunlit, retro-leaning record with clear highlights on Flowers. He singles out “Paradise” for its Stevie Wonder-tinged, immersive instrumentation, and names “Lovers' Holiday” one of the best tracks for its bright production and vibrant call-and-response. Mastel also points to “Really Wanna Be With You” as a standout for its heartbreaking lyrics braided with joyful instrumentation, while “If Not For Love” and “Without You” showcase Jones' vocal power and falsetto. The overall tone is appreciative - Flowers is called solid, even if it does not quite eclipse Private Space.
Key Points
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"Lovers' Holiday" is the album highlight for its bright, retro production and vibrant call-and-response.
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The album's core strengths are strong vintage soul songwriting, passionate vocals, and danceable, nostalgic grooves.
Themes
Critic's Take
Durand Jones & the Indications sound fully in bloom on Flowers, the record that lets Jones' voice and the band’s lush arrangements do the heavy lifting. The review highlights the best tracks as “Paradise” and “Lovers' Holiday” for their twinkling piano, falsetto and lust-laden bounce, while calling out “Rust and Steel” as a dramatic focal point that almost tips into bombast but is held in check. The critic praises the album’s slow-burning, summer-night grooves and retro soul touches, positioning these songs as the standout moments on Flowers. Overall the album is celebrated for letting love and vocals shine, making the listed tracks the best songs on Flowers by virtue of their melodies and arrangements.
Key Points
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The best song is “Paradise” because it foregrounds Jones' falsetto with twinkling piano and flute, making it a standout showcase.
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The album’s core strengths are lush retro arrangements, restrained drama, and a focus on love-drenched vocals that sustain a laid-back neo-soul mood.
Themes
Critic's Take
Durand Jones & the Indications lean into the pleasures of retro soul on Flowers, and the best songs — notably “Flower Moon”, “Really Wanna Be With You” and “If Not For Love” — show why that choice pays off. The record is affectionate and impeccably sung, trading innovation for a warm, nearly indulgent reverence that makes the best tracks feel like consolation prizes for anyone who misses classic Motown. The reviewer hears Durand's voice as an instrument of abundance - not merely good pipes but the whole organ in his chest - which is why those highlighted songs land hardest. Consumption of the album is like eating lunch at a diner that only serves your favourite old records, and on that menu the named tracks are the dishes you order first.
Key Points
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The best song(s) like 'Flower Moon' stand out because they exemplify the album's warm, 70s soul revival and showcase Durand Jones's powerful vocals.
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The album's core strengths are its affectionate homage to Motown-era soul, vocal virtuosity, and consistent nostalgic production.