New Yorkers Sunflower Bean have been on the receiving end of a fair bit of hype of late, and that can either be great for exposure, or can leave bands looking exposed if the music they have doesn't live up to media buzz. This trio are handling things pretty well if we go by the strength of new single 'I Hear Voices'. They sound confident and have every reason to be. Deep psych has been brought to the fore by bands like Tame Impala and Moon Duo producing hugely acclaimed albums, and Sunflower Bean take elements of both of those bands, but really, 'I Hear Voices' inhabits its own space and takes inspiration from a much wider musical gene pool.
The intro is weighty and heavy; it could be a modern update of Blue Cheer or Black Sabbath slowed down, it has a similar fuggy intensity. As soon as the tempo goes up a notch and the shared male/female vocals join in we're given a flavour of indie-punk. The chorus could be lifted from a C86 type indiepop single, but despite this almost DIY aspect, the music is rock solid right through, driving forward with a relentless beat that only pauses for the mid-section where they slow down again and delve back into stoner-rock. It's not long before there's a spring in their step again though. 'I Hear Voices' has something of a dual personality, but both are good and compliment each other well. With some UK dates lined up, we'll soon be able to see what other tricks they've got up their sleeves.
Sunflower Bean's website
Buy the single
Catch them live:
Tuesday 17th November - Civic Hall, Wolverhampton**
Thursday 19th November - Brighton Centre, Brighton**
Friday 20th November - Capital FM Arena, Nottingham**
Sunday 22nd November - o2 Academy, Brixton**
Monday 23rd November - o2 Academy, Brixton**
Wednesday 25th November - Corn Exchange, Cambridge**
Monday 30th November - Moth Club, Hackney
**with The Vaccines
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