West Chester’s very own Flavor Wave return with their sophomore album “Lonely Animals,” and what a leap forward it is. Released on September 17th via Free Dive Collective, the record feels like a sonic coming-of-age for a band that’s been sharpening its edges together for years. Where their debut hinted at potential, “Lonely Animals” delivers it in spades—equal parts groove, grit, and vulnerability.
The album opens with the title track, a restless anthem about rediscovering yourself through music despite the noise of everyday life. “Lonely Animals” sets the tone perfectly: yearning verses swell into choruses that feel like a crowd shouting back at you, reminding you who you are under the lights. It’s an introduction and mission statement.
From there, Flavor Wave doesn’t play it safe. “Outlaws” bursts with riff-heavy swagger, a nod to their rock roots, while “Outta Control” thrives on the band’s playful chaos. By the time you reach “Deeper,” the project’s breakout single, you realize just how fearless this album is in stretching its palette. The track starts delicately, brushes up against jazz, leans into funk, then finally descends into a heavier outro. It’s a rollercoaster in four minutes, and it works because Flavor Wave trust the ride.
That trust comes through again in “Motivation” and “Tuesday,” songs that dig into the daily grind and emotional ruts without losing their musical shine. “Drama Queen,” meanwhile, might be the most ambitious cut here—swinging between buoyant choruses and lyrics that bite with dread. Bassist Noah Montgomery was right: the arrangement itself feels like tossing and turning at night, caught between hope and regret.
The middle stretch of the album leans nostalgic but never stale. “Sad Songs on the Radio” feels like a wink to early-2000s alt rock, complete with soaring keys and bittersweet lyrics, while “Magnetic” channels that era’s raw immediacy. It’s music built for blasting through car speakers, equal parts cathartic and catchy.
As the album winds down, “Flow” and “The Optimist” provide some of the project’s most grounded moments. There’s an ease in the way these songs breathe, giving listeners space to reflect before the final act. And what a closer it is—“The Weight” lands like a quiet revelation, balancing the record’s emotional gravity with a hopeful lift. It feels less like an ending and more like a passage into whatever comes next for Flavor Wave.
Lyrically, the album circles back again and again to questions of identity—who we think we are versus who we really are when the mask slips. Lead vocalist and drummer Josh Speaker puts it bluntly: every time the band steps on stage, doubts fall away. That raw honesty is the album’s secret weapon. These aren’t songs written for algorithms, but reflections of lived experiences, messy and authentic.
The credits deserve a spotlight, too. Lyrics come from Josh Speaker, Kyle Loedel, and Patrick Blair. Performances are brought to life by the full lineup: Speaker, Loedel, Matt Stretch, Blair, and Montgomery. The project was produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by Tyler Ripley—recorded at Little Brother Studios and polished at Penny’s Palace. That production touch is vital here, giving the album clarity without sanding down its edges.
With “Lonely Animals,” Flavor Wave have proven they’re riding a trend and carving out their own lane. Funk grooves, alt-rock nostalgia, and emotional storytelling collide to form an album that’s timeless and immediate. It’s a project about being lost, found, and everything messy in between. If their debut was the introduction, “Lonely Animals” is the affirmation: Flavor Wave know exactly who they are, and they’re not afraid to roar.
For more information, follow Flavor Wave:
Website – Facebook – YouTube – Spotify – Soundcloud
