Sunflower Bean
New York City has produced countless iconic bands in decades past. From The Ramones to The Strokes to Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the list is ever-growing. The latest outfit to emerge who are really starting to make their mark globally are Sunflower Bean, a trio of uber-cool young musicians whose sophomore album ‘Twentytwo in Blue’ landed last Friday. This week their recently-begun world tour wound its way to Norwich, to the club room at OPEN, where the group delivered an unforgettable set of rock ‘n’ roll glamour.
Main tour support comes from Sorry. Fronted by the unassuming Asha Lorenz, the North London quartet recently signed to Domino Records, home to (among others) Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand. Their music is as cutting edge as it gets, mixing run-of-the-mill indie with standoffish drum ‘n’ bass elements. Muse has a nu-rave, Bloc Party essence about it, while Lies is grunge to the core, its scream-sing chorus noticeably turning a few ears.
Since forming in 2013 Sunflower Bean have released two albums, ‘Human Ceremony’ in 2016, and its follow up ‘Twentytwo in Blue’ this month. Shows with The Vaccines and Wolf Alice (including a stop at the LCR last autumn) helped introduce them to the UK and their current tour is their biggest on our shores to date. And boy, are they killing it.
Tonight they are on top form. “We’re gonna play some rock music!” announces bass/vocalist Julia Cumming, beaming, launching into Burn It, from the new album. The record is foot-stomping and defiant, a reflection on the duality of living in Trump-era America, and the smaller picture of life and self discovery as someone in their early 20s. Both aspects are showcased equally; Crisis Fest is an explicit comment on current affairs, Twentytwo a pristine ode to youth.
Sonically, the group make 70s psychedelia with a noughties indie edge. 2013 bristles with Tame Impala fuzz, Puppet Strings has a gnarly, Black Keys feel to it, and of course the Fleetwood Mac comparisons had to come from somewhere: funky and downbeat, I Was A Fool could be a lost cut from ‘Rumours’. Their stage presence is electrifying, Julia and guitarist Nick Kivlen repeatedly locking axes during mind-melting solos while drummer Jacob Faber – nearly invisible through all the smoke – brings up the rear.
With ‘Twentytwo in Blue’ Sunflower Bean have created an epic piece of work which, certain to project them to higher places in months and years to come. To see them in a venue as intimate as OPEN was a real treat, and one I don’t expect anyone present will be forgetting in a hurry.
