The hardest part of putting this review together for Sunday Junkie’s debut LP is finding words that haven’t already been said… And that’s not even because we’ve already reviewed the bulk of singles that have preceded it (Think we missed only one of the five released ahead of time?) but more the fact that there are only so many words in the English language you can use to substitute “perfect” or “awesome” (There’s actually a lot and thesauruses are great but for dramatic effect we’re sticking with the “only so many words” bit).
Not really “from the ashes of” since Rock & Roll Rumble alumnae outfit Not Bad Not Well isn’t officially gone (The dreaded hiatuses!) but more a creative overflow? Need to keep the music going? Whatever the case may be, NBNW’s Tom Martin and Shawn Pelkey have gone above and beyond that other outfit with Sunday Junkie who collectively hone in on the Alternative leanings of Not Bad Not Well, expands upon that tenfold, and creates a wholly new modern classic that revels in its’ nuanced approach to the genre.
By now you’ve most likely heard half the album but, unlike many a record where an abundance of singles ahead of time tend to stand out like a sore thumb, the previously released tracks here simply add to the overall flavor. Like “Vultures”, “Holy, Holy”, and “Fever Dream” which are all in a row and lead off the record with what equates to hit after hit after hit of the sustained bombast that vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Martin and drummer Pelkey have created together. Next up, “Seventeen” glistens in another plane of excellence or 2003 where Radiohead never stopped making music in the vein of Hail To the Thief and Muse continued on the trajectory that Absolution started them on.
“Death Defier” shines more light on Martin’s iridescent vocals and wondrous wordplay while “The Noise of Nothing” follows and comes out swinging (Reminds us of “NBNW’s “Afterglow” in terms of grandioseness) with Martin’s wall of guitar and bass standing up to Pelkey’s impassioned pummeling before “Emergencies” arises with a similar tone and a driving low end to counter Martin’s wails. Previously released “Haunted Head” with its’ intricate Prog-like textures and the poignant “Sister” enter the chat after that with “Constellations” capping off the SJ debut as Pelkey’s galloping drumming gives way to a transcendent breakdown and one last dose of the Pelkey/Martin magic that ends with an effervescent vocal outro from Martin.
Sunday Junkie is out on May 9th and you can pre-order yours now when you head here or to the stream below. For more from Sunday Junkie just hop onto the information superhighway and make stops here, here, or here for the latest across their socials.