Sunflower Bean – “King Of The Dudes” [EP] [Album Review]

Still riding the wave of their 2018 release, Twentytwo in Blue, indie rock band Sunflower Bean have graced us with a few new tunes in the form of their latest EP, King of the Dudes. While their last full-length was more of a mellow vibe, the three-piece comes out swinging on this new effort.

The title track is a perfect opener as a fast, head-bopping tune. It kicks things off with a swirling guitar lead before vocalist/bassist Julia Cumming showcases the emotion she can belt out with her voice – something we didn’t get as much of on their LP, but we get a whole lot of in these songs. The band then calms things down a bit with the middle tracks (“Come For Me” and “Fear City”), but remains just as groovy and catchy while retaining that kick that has me obsessed with this release.

The last song, appropriately titled “The Big One”, is where all hell breaks loose. This short and fast punk rock banger has the group showcasing their punk influence, emulating ‘70s bands like The Ramones and The Sex Pistols with basic guitar patterns and aggressive vocals, while adding some spacy guitars and vocal effects. By far, this is my favourite track of the batch.

As great as their last album was, hopefully Sunflower Bean continue to push this heavier sound even further with future releases, as it suits them ridiculously well.

King of the Dudes Track Listing:

01. King of the Dudes
02. Come for Me
03. Fear City
04. The Big One

Run Time: 12:04
Release Date: January 25, 2019
Record Label: Mom + Pop Records

Crack a soda (or dark beer?) and enjoy “Come For Me”.