Album Review: Headful of Sugar by Sunflower Bean

When it came to following up their critically acclaimed second album Twentytwo In Blue, New York trio Sunflower Bean--comprised of vocalist and bassist Julia Cumming (she/her), guitarist and vocalist Nick Kivlen (he/him), and drummer Olive Faber (she/they)--went back to basics. After the global pandemic curtailed their seemingly insatiable appetite for gigging the threesome turned a negative into a positive and decided to record their third album, Headful of Sugar, predominantly at their home studio. Getting back to basics when viewed through the lens of a political ideology is usually a byword for fiscal austerity, cutbacks, and for "making do.

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With cinematic soundscapes of art-rock in tow, Headful of Sugar is a heavenly ride that actively embraces a full spectrum of feeling; from self-destructive tendencies to the saccharine thrills of youth. Stripping back the layered production seen on their sophomore Twentytwo in Blue, they lean into a DIY sound with an unpolished nature that lends the record a warming authenticity. "In Flight", penned and sung by guitarist and backing vocalist Nick Kivlen, traces a relatable entrapment within his hometown, paired with a melody at odds with its lyrics; coasting through the highs and lows, carefree and unperturbed.

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The celebrated New York indie rock band Sunflower Bean returns with their third album 'Headful Of Sugar', an explosive and triumphant head-rush of disillusionment with the modern world. The sonically mellow band issues a lyrically-charged scream against the lived experiences of late capitalism. From satirising corporate greed on 'Roll The Dice', to a disdainful takedown of 24-hour, purposefully inflammatory news cycles on 'Baby Don't Cry', the album is subtly furious against a backdrop of impressive, melodic engineering.

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