The Flairs

The Flairs formed when ex-Tuuli members Dawn Mandarino (vocals/guitar) and Jen Foster (drums) conspired with guitarist Gillian Hanna of Bif Naked fame. Tuuli began at a young age and experienced an impressive rise that saw them through well-received releases and extensive touring that included opening for bands like Cheap Trick. But Foster and Mandarino were looking to take their music to a new level. Looking to get away from Tuuli’s harmonised power-pop that led to Runaways and Go-Gos comparisons, the girls made a move to bring in a harder influence for a fresh band by collaborating with Hanna, who holds a love for Metallica and Guns N’ Roses. But despite their intentions, the Flairs don’t seem to be stepping all that far away from where Tuuli left off. Though there does seem to be a heavier tinge to the Flairs’ vocals and arrangements, there is very little change in style otherwise. The lyrical content doesn’t get too thought-provoking as the girls sing along sweetly to songs called "Ready To Roll” and "18 & Life.” As far as power pop goes, this six-song release is just that, and to approach it with an expectation of sugary punk rock harmonies would be finding perfection. Even though that’s not quite what the Flairs were hoping for, it’s maybe what they should stick to — it works for them.