Sun is Poison - Beheading Party
Sun is Poison, first name Will, is a solo artist from Ballston Spa, New York. His jams carry the traditional lo-fi garage rock spirit of early Car Seat Headrest, though his talents are more admirable, his production tighter, and his range much wider. His jams are so lustrous and well executed they may trick you into believing this isn’t a solo project.
Open up and swallow is an intricate and touching introduction to the album. The line “Low to the floor” is such a lovely way to open the album and perfectly encapsulates the feelings that ensue. Will shines in his ability to create narrative-driven songs, relying less on pop-conventions than your typical rock band. Oreko contains some of his best riffs, balanced by beautiful sombre moments and disciplined drumming. As the longest track on the album it justifies its length with never a dull moment. Will does not waste a bar throughout the rest of the album, as every subsequent track is tightly produced and beautifully mixed. Coyote is wonderfully jammy with its off-beat percussion and overly distorted synths. Jersey Devil is an excellent pop song with a sweet blend of instrumentals that end in a blissful jam. Flowers for Algernon is yet another narrative-driven song, letting his instrumentals do the hooks. The song is easy to listen to and quite lovely. Moon Blood follows the structure of previous songs while boasting some exceptionally comforting synths and humming. The piano is introduced during The Black Sound – the keys complement the strings gracefully, amounting to a lovely atmosphere. I only wished he experimented more like this. Heaven Split Me Up and Blood City both contain lovely melodies, though production-wise are very indistinguishable. Aster Season re-introduces the abrasive guitar riffs, though they are not impactful as earlier in the album. The track does exceed during the quieter moments, though; giving the lyrics a true chance to shine. The last twenty seconds of the song are perhaps the best on the album; beautifully strummed and well-rounded. I Could Pull My Own Face Off is a delightful end to the album and hard to fault.
Sun Is Poison truly excels at three things: vocal performance (+ lyrics), hum-along-melodies and atmosphere. Despite boasting a wide range of musical instruments, it lacks innovation; the synths and electronics could use a lot more variation and experimentation within the soundscape. Where it lacks originality, it certainly makes up for it in heart. Sun is Poison boasts perhaps the most poetic lyrics I’ve encountered on the site and they are a treat to listen to. The score at the end of the review merely reflects innovation and not enjoyability - this is a truly delightful album and I’ve enjoyed listening to it many times. If you’re in the mood for bedroom rock, look no further than Beheading Party.
Good
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Sun is Poison - Beheading Party
