REVIEW : SUNSET SUNS – TOO MANY HUMANS, NOT ENOUGH SOULS (2022)

Sunset Sons are a three-piece British-Australian indie band, based out of the town of Hossegor, in the Landes region of the south west of France, known as ‘The European Surfing Capital’. The band have released five EPs and two albums and comprise of Rory Williams (lead vocals, keys), Jed Laidlaw (drums) and Pete Harper (bass). Their new album is `Too Many Humans, Not Enough Souls` which was written and recorded in three different countries during the recent global pandemic and follows up their 2019 release `Blood Rush Déjà Vu`. The title came from a phrase spraypainted on the wall outside one of the band`s wife’s apartment in New York when they were first dating.

The album opens with `Gonna Be A Way` which is a dreamy quite mesmeric number that feels like it`s been made for long summer days. It sort of ambles along wonderfully with some jangly guitar riffs and vocals that are shared at just the right pitch. It has a brief auto tune sound and becomes more stripped back in the latter stages and ends with an echoey sound. We have a repeated piano key and drum beat with humming leading us into `Soul Destroyer` which is a quite trippy offering. The lyrics are rapidly shared and feel almost rapped at times through this again dreamy offering.

`Rum and Coca Loca` was a bit funky with a roiling texture led along by the bassline with vocals floated atop. There is a brief guitar solo towards the end of the track. I heard that `Tonight` was written partly based on a friend going through a hard time and trying to reach out to them to assure them that you`re there for them. It was a quite moving number with a captivating piano overtone and vocals that seemed to be almost shared remotely. Again, we had a short guitar solo in the latter part which broke up the songs almost dreamlike quality.

`Sunny Funny Days` was quite enchanting and an almost soulful piece. The sort of thing that Paul Weller and The Style Council might have produced back in the day. We have what is pretty much a ballad with `Smile`. A composition that is made for a live setting with an arena illuminated with phones and cigarette lighters held aloft.

The oddly titled `So We Oh` is quite anthemic, led by a consistent rolling drumbeat. There seems to be more introspection on `Can’t Explain` with its enquiring vocals and lyrics. I have to say I thought the brief strummed acoustic guitar shared at the end was a really interesting touch.

`Live and Learn` is a little different and quite possibly another ballad made for an arena or stadium. The lyrics which include “breathe in, breathe out” and “we live and we learn” will have a faithful audience singing along. The album closes out with `Song For Lilah` and it`s a quite intense ballad like offering with piano and vocals initially before an electronic beat joins to lead us along. A quite powerful submission to end on.

I thought `Too Many Humans, Not Enough Souls` had plenty to offer the listener and has an abundance of uplifting, inspiring and heartening tunes. Rory Williams has a rich and varied vocal range but Jed Laidlaw and Pete Harper provide the base to allow him to demonstrate this talent. There was much to enjoy from Sunset Suns and I’ll certainly head along to see them if they rock up near where I live.

In the meantime, I’ll make do with their latest offering.

Rating 8/10