The passage of time has always been a prominent theme in Sunflower Bean's musical catalog, capturing the bittersweet aspects of youth, the complexities of adulthood, and the challenge of remaining authentic in a rapidly shifting landscape. Since the release of their debut LP 'Human Ceremony', the Brooklyn trio—all members include Julia Cumming (bass/vocals), Nick Kivlen (guitar/vocals), and Olive Faber (drums)—have evolved both musically and personally, creating songs that break away from the standard indie rock mold. Their latest album, 'Mortal Primetime', marks a deeply vulnerable and genuine phase of their artistic journey, stemming from personal struggles, transformation, and a quest for creative freedom.
With the band members distributed across various coasts and navigating periods of uncertainty, the production of 'Mortal Primetime' was nearly halted. Instead of dissolving, the band united, drawing on their years of experience, close friendships, and an unwavering determination to produce music that reflects their true selves. They self-produced the album, marrying vulnerability with strength, resulting in a record that feels distinctly Sunflower Bean: bold, expansive, and refreshingly honest.
CLASH engaged with Sunflower Bean to discuss the album's creation, the personal and professional challenges that shaped it, and their choice to embrace the ordinary and extraordinary moments that characterize their artistry.
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As you've been creating music as Sunflower Bean for nearly a decade, how do you feel you've transformed as individuals and as musicians throughout this time with your fourth album, ‘Mortal Primetime’?
Julia: The first significant change occurred during the pandemic when everything in our lives shifted. 'Human Ceremony' and 'Twentytwo In Blue' adhered to the indie rock pattern of touring for a year and a half, recording in six months, then touring again. For the first time, we broke free from that cycle and realized there wasn't a timeline we had to stick to. We transitioned from being mainly recognized for our live shows to focusing more on writing, as that was our primary activity. This led to an explosion of songwriting for 'Headful of Sugar', and that shift has remained with us. Now, with 'Mortal Primetime', we felt we could embrace ourselves more, welcoming the changes that had occurred and how we wanted the record to mirror that.
How would you reintroduce yourselves now, and what would you say defines Sunflower Bean as a band and your overall sound?
Nick: Unlike 'Headful Of Sugar', which was created over two years with numerous demos and modern production techniques like copying and pasting, and sampling, 'Mortal Primetime' was produced quite differently. We aimed to capture the organic chemistry we developed from performing together for over a decade within our local music scene. We wanted to preserve that essence on the record.
Thus, while making 'Mortal Primetime', we rented a studio where we performed live in the same room, recording almost the entire album in fourteen days. Every session was live, and we treated the process as if we were recording to tape, which made each performance unique. You can genuinely sense the synergy among us as we played together. It's an organic album created in a manner reminiscent of how records were made in 1965, rather than the contemporary approach.
Julia: Given that context, if I were to redefine us, I'd say we're an indie-alternative power pop band [Nick: Maybe not indie!]. That term feels tricky; people often struggle with it. What we're definitely not is a post-punk band [Nick: True]. I find it amusing since it often leaves people uncertain about how to categorize us, especially since post-punk is viewed as the dominant rock sound right now. Yet, we’re artists striving to uphold the band tradition through our unique experiences. We're resisting a homogenized music culture and lack of creativity in production. We're advocating for something real—a sentiment that resonates throughout our discography.
Nick: But record labels often claim that implies "hard to market."
That's an intriguing perspective since you've been described as a band that defies categorization, blending various influences and appearing largely “unclassifiable.” Was this intentional, or a natural result of diverse tastes shaping your sound?
Julia: I think the constant discussion around this seems to force us to clarify ourselves. People tend to expect singular artists, and they’re unfamiliar with what a band with varied influences can produce. I describe our songs as highly individual. For instance, we have a song called ‘Champagne Taste’, which feels like alternative rock, while the album concludes with ‘Sunshine’, that has a My Bloody Valentine shoegaze vibe. The interesting part is the dissonance in both guitars, both feeling like they might veer off course, with the tension keeping them connected.
Perhaps we aren't focused on genres. When we recorded 'Mortal Primetime', we were deliberate about using the same group of instruments and microphones for the drums.
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The flow of time has always been a key theme throughout Sunflower Bean’s music. From depicting the poignant nuances of youth, the