Geanies – ‘Can’t See The Sun’ [EP] [Album Review]

Can’t See The Sun, the debut EP of SoCal alt-rock outfit Geanies, defers to great guitar players such as Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and B.B. King while simultaneously mirroring the ’90s alt-rock of bands like Soundgarden and Silverchair.

A power trio, Geanies is fronted by 19-year-old Sean Michael Howe (vocals, guitar), who is joined by Eliot Lorango (bass) and Ethan Maxwell (drums).

Entry points on the five-track EP include opener “Bury Me,” a raw yet melodic tune conjuring up suggestions of Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Howe’s scruffy guitar produces an edgy sound, rough, shaggy, and potently gleaming, as his voice, which belies his age, comprises a visceral depth, round and rasping.

Travelling on slightly dissonant guitars, “Here She Comes” blends hints of blues with retro-flavoured guitars riding over a lurching rhythm, featuring roomy, finessed percussion from Maxwell’s drums, accenting the shifting flow of the harmonics.

Tinges of jazz savours and grunge give “Nowadays” an early Joe Walsh-like mood, with gentle washes of almost jangly guitar coloration laced with skiffing tones. On the solo section, Howe struts his technical proficiency, infusing the song with dark, dirty timbres.

Set apart by Howe’s guitar wizardry and evocative vocals, Can’t See The Sun parades the palpable, innovative talent of Geanies.

Geanies, photo by Adrienne Isom

Can’t See The Sun Track Listing:

1. Bury Me
2. Can’t See The Sun
3. Here She Comes
4. I’d Like To Buy The World
5. Nowadays

Run Time: 19:40
Release Date: July 14, 2023
Record Label: Mule Kick Records