Sunflower Bean’s debut album Human Ceremony was unveiled to the world in 2016 with no little hype and fanfare.
It came with a mission of intent from the band itself. Simply put, it was an act of rebellion against the anti-rock and roll of the New York scene. It was a strong effort for a debut but, perhaps owing to the band forming only three years previously, suffered most from being full of potential, and nothing is more frustrating than when potential is not fulfilled.
There are absolutely no worries here on that score; Twentytwo In Blue is a significant leap forward. Produced by Jacob Portrait of Unknown Mortal Orchestra, a substantial amount of meat has been added to the bones of their sound. It comes out of the traps strongly, opener Burn It wouldn’t sound out of place on a 70s edition of Top Of The Pops 2 so indebted is it to glam rock. Second single Crisis Fest, also cut from Bolan-esque hues, is a rallying call to arms to a disenfranchised generation; “If you keep us down you know that we can shout”. It’s a modern day Children Of The Revolution and acts as a perfect accompaniment to these tumultuous political times. In fact, the entire album sounds like a glam act covering Sunflower Bean. This is a very good thing.
The theme of the album, as alluded to by the title, is one of finding your place in the world and in turn becoming more aware of how it works. Lead single I Was A Fool, released late last year, is a glistening duet between singer (and bassist) Julia Cumming and guitarist Nick Kivlen which eulogises about the pros and cons of all-consuming love.
All of the band have now turned twenty-two (see what they did there?) so, naturally, love is a subject matter the album keeps coming back to. The title-track sounds like it could accompany the compulsory montage in a romantic film (indeed the whole record often has a cinematic feel), while Cumming’s tender vocals could be mistaken for First Aid Kit. Only A Moment is an ethereal, waltz-like ballad, Any Way You Like supplemented by a mini orchestra, adding to its drama.
It’s not all sentiment; Human For breaks things up and gives the musicians the chance to flex their muscles, the three-piece winding around each other to create an intense burst of proficient musicianship, while Sinking Sands has a great outro which highlights Kivlen’s axeman-ship.
The album ends on both an optimistic and wistful note. Despite its title, Oh No, Bye Bye offers hope for whatever our uncertain futures may hold; Kivlen takes lead vocals as the male protagonist in the story with Cummings cooing, “At least we would have each other, and I think it would be alright”.
The way the band structure their songs hasn’t particularly changed from Human Ceremony, but their sound has evolved from psyche-sodden missives to something more wholesome. A fine piece of work.