Sunflower Bean | TwentyTwo In Blue | Album Review

Record label: Lucky Number Records
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Sunflower Bean has returned with the release of their new album Twentytwo in Blue on March 23. Twentytwo in Blue is a clever play on words as the members of the New-York-based band are all in their 20s, but they have produced an album that is mature and refined despite their age. The focal point of this album is Julia Cumming’s ethereal, light, and airy vocals, which are especially showcased in “I Was A Fool.” With the accompaniment of Nick Kivlen’s low, muddied vocals, this song is reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac’s style.

“TwentyTwo” is an upbeat track with harrowing but poetic lyrics. In it Cumming sings about the sexualization of young girls, and as they get older they are seen as “busted and used.” Sung with melodic harmonies, this song rolls at a steady pace but ends sooner than listeners would expect.

The highlight of this album is “Crisis Fest,” which is a glam rock track with Cumming serving listeners low, raspy vocals as opposed to her crisp feminine serenades. Followed with groovy riffs from the electric guitar and unsteady percussions, this song has a distinctive sound compared to the other tracks.

Sunflower Bean has grown tremendously in such a short amount of time after the release of their debut album—Human Ceremony. While they still have years ahead of them, this young band is paving the way to achieving something spectacular.