Sunflower Bean’s fourth album, Mortal Primetime, sees the band continuing to explore the space between indie sensibility and more polished, radio-friendly songwriting. Often categorized as part of the alternative or indie rock world, Sunflower Bean actually pull from a broader set of influences — some of which point toward classic pop-rock and even subtle shades of glam and hard rock. What’s striking about this record is how comfortably they move through these reference points without sounding like they’re chasing them.
Self-produced by the trio — Julia Cumming, Nick Kivlen, and Olive Faber, the album is the sound of a band in complete control. The production is sleek and intentional, foregrounding guitar and melody. If anything, the drums are occasionally underemphasized in the mix, which slightly softens the impact of some of the louder moments. Still, it’s clear the band chose clarity and cohesion over raw volume, and that choice mostly pays off.
The album opens with “Champagne Taste,” a track that immediately quotes Iggy Pop and David Bowie over a sleek, riff-driven groove. There’s a knowing theatricality to the song — especially in the guitar solo — that plays with hard rock tropes in a way that feels self-aware rather than imitative.
That balance between homage and originality is something the band manages well throughout the record. “Nothing Romantic” begins with a cold, gothic atmosphere before kicking into something more urgent and muscular. Cumming’s vocal performance here is a highlight — rich, slightly stylized, and emotionally restrained in a way that enhances the song’s tension.
Throughout Mortal Primetime, Sunflower Bean seem interested in contrast — not just musically, but thematically. “Look What You’ve Done to Me” marries an upbeat, piano-led arrangement with darker lyrical content, creating a dissonance that’s more thoughtful than gimmicky. However, the song’s meandering final section slightly undercuts the emotional sharpness it builds in the first half.
The album is also full of moments that subtly reframe familiar styles. “Waiting for the Rain” flirts with '90s psychedelia, echoing the mood of “Black Hole Sun,” especially in the way the guitar solo pushes toward chaos. But instead of collapsing into grunge pastiche, the song reins it back, ending with a clean finish rather than a dramatic breakdown. “I Knew Love” and “There’s a Part I Can’t Get Back” offer pop structures with a kind of emotional ambiguity that’s hard to pin down. Both songs are catchy and accessible, but they don’t feel simplistic. “I Knew Love,” in particular, is built to linger — the layered vocals on the chorus create a kind of soft-focus melancholy that feels aimed more at resonance than resolution. “Please Rewind” and “Take Out Your Insides” are more experimental in tone, pairing ambient textures with emotionally direct lyrics. The production on “Please Rewind” might obscure some of the track’s strengths, but the haziness also matches the song’s inward-looking mood.
“Shooting Star” and “Sunshine” round out the album with clear stylistic references — Americana balladry in the first case, shoegaze in the second. Both are effective closers, though “Sunshine” makes a stronger impression by pairing distortion-heavy guitars with pop melodies in a way that feels both lush and unresolved.
Mortal Primetime isn’t a reinvention, and it doesn’t pretend to be. Instead, it’s a well-calculated progression — the work of a band that understands its own strengths and is now refining them. There’s less urgency here than in some of their past work, but more control. The hooks are still here, but they arrive with less flash, and more purpose. This is an album that rewards attention. It’s not trying to dominate the room — it’s trying to hold your focus once you’ve leaned in. And in that respect, it succeeds.
Genre: Pop/Rock
Release date: April 25th, 2025
Produced by: Sunflower Bean
Label: Lucky Number
Rating: 7/10
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