CD REVIEWS

Review of Sunny So Brite's "The New American Century"  By CD Baby/Derek Silvers

Some band's approach to winning you over is to knock you over with volume and production. Not Sunny So Brite. First, it's obvious from the first listen that their focus is to make the music they feel- the music they can't help but set free. It's just inevitable that in the process of this uncovering, this genuine music making, you'll be knocked over in some way. With clear, directed songwriting, a hard-to-find-these-days balance of textures, both flexible and hardened, there's a naturalness about "The New American Century" that lies outside comparison. There are those albums that burn hot and fast, last maybe a month or so with the repeat button; but this group is in for the long haul- it's music that sustains and will sustain simply because of the integrity. In short, a stunning release emo fans should notice.

It would smack of rock-critic laziness to dub Sunny So Brite as "The Radiohead of the American South," but I'll do so anyway. That title is so fitting for the group that anybody who actually hears "The New American Century" album would easily agree. Back in the early '70s, this would've been described as progressive rock. The first time playing the record was a disorienting experience; there didn't seem to be hooks one could readily grasp.?

The songs have a smoky, psychedelic haze that takes listeners into a warped alternate reality. The group plays with - rather than plays - its instruments, making them sound bent out of shape, twisting notes, creating weird noises while much of the vocals are whispered or mumbled.

It wasn't until the fifth track, "Holiday," that a distinguishable groove appeared, but these lads create mesmerizing soundscapes that are less high-tech than Radiohead yet still occupy a different frame of mind.

"Secrets Under Scars" not only has the best title of any tune on the CD, it's the "catchiest" song with its sinister riffs and relatively clear vocals. "Make Your Mind Up (Canada)" displays another more accessible side to Sunny So Brite.
Just give it time. "The New American Century" takes a couple of spins before you can decipher its puzzles; when you do, it's an intellectually rewarding accomplishment that'll have you yearning for another fix.