Human Ceremony
New Yorkers Julia Cumming, Jacob Faber, and Nick Kivlen conjure up a far-out swirl of psychedelic wonderment and freewheeling riffs on a debut beaming with easy confidence. For an album valourizing so many genres, however, there’s no spirit of diluted imitation. *Human Ceremony* fizzes with invention, from “Wall Watchers”’ fuzzy rock crunch to the sublime, sail-away soul of “I Want You to Give Me Enough Time.” Elsewhere on an endlessly inventive set there’s hypnotic dream pop (“Easier Said,” “Creation Myth”) and irresistibly melodic freak-outs (“This Kind of Feeling,” “I Was Home”).
Sunflower Bean find magic within friction. The New York trio’s full-length debut album, Human Ceremony [Fat Possum Records], emerges at the intersection of dreamy modern psychedelica and urgent fuzzed-out bliss. That push-and-pull colors the aural tapestry of these three musicians—Jacob Faber [drums], Julia Cumming [vocals/bass], and Nick Kivlen [vocals/guitars]. “Everything comes from a conflicting interest,” affirms Nick. “We love dream pop, but we also really love rock ‘n’ roll. It’s those two spectrums.” “You’re allowed to obsess over Black Sabbath as well as The Cure,” adds Julia. “It’d be boring if everything was just one way or the other.” That diversity defined the group’s approach since Nick and Jacob started jamming back in high school. They would hole up in Jacob’s Long Island basement for hours on end, channeling this vast cadre of influences. Julia’s addition would only expand that creative palette further in 2013. Through constant gigging around New York, Sunflower Bean sprouted into a sonic enigma, boasting a fiery musical call-and-response that serves as a centerpiece, giving the music what Jacob refers to as a “lyrical aspect” between the guitars, drums, and bass. They transferred this multi-headed energy into their 2015 Independent EP, Show Me Your Seven Secrets. At the same time, this distinct alchemy enchanted ever-growing audiences live. By the time, they entered the studio for Human Ceremony, Sunflower Bean had a lively aural cauldron from which to draw. They took the summer of 2015 off and retreated to Jacob’s basement to write together. Taking the ideas out of the basement, they hit a Brooklyn studio with producer Matt Molnar [Friends] and tracked eleven tunes in just seven days. Whereas the EP was recorded after Sunflower Bean played 100 shows in one year, Human Ceremony showed the band’s studio side with richer soundscapes, overdubs, and music that had yet to be debuted live. On the lead track “Easier Said,” Julia’s delicate vocals glide over a lilting clean guitar that spirals off into a vibrant hum. Sunflower Bean’s spell is cast on Human Ceremony. “When you’re in a band, you always dream about the first record,” Julia concludes. “It’s that moment where you explore everything that’s been inspiring you.”
Being a teenager is all about testing out different personalities to figure out who you really are. This kind of personality development, for better or worse, defines Sunflower Bean’s full-length debut, Human Ceremony.
The Brooklyn three-piece make a thrilling jump from the stage to the studio.
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‘Human Ceremony’ isn’t anywhere near fault-free, but its charm arrives when the trio get ahead of themselves.
The Brooklyn-based trio Sunflower Bean (singer/guitarist Nick Kivlen, singer/bassist Julia Cumming, and drummer Olive Faber) play with the fire and enthusiasm of youth.
Truth be told, it was difficult to care when a prolific SXSW put Sunflower Bean on the tongue of seemingly every critic in existence. If there's an underground music niche that isn't in need of another poster band, it's psychedelic rock. Yet on debut LP,
'Human Ceremony' by Sunflower Bean, album review by Allie Volpe. The band's debut full-length comes out on February 5th via Fat Possum Records.
Brooklyn rock trio Sunflower Bean transcend vogueish indie nonchalance via plenty of lightness and nuance