Sunny Day Sets Fire - Summer Palace Album Review 2008

Another album review for Altsounds.com. I really wanted to love this album as the sound is fantastic and it is clear that the band are committed to making great music. But the solid songs are lacking and they rely on obvious tricks. Then the songs just get silly and annoying as the album loses focus. A real shame.

The review:

When Onyee met Mauro in London, 'Sunny Day Sets Fire' was born. The pair form the core of the band that at its best has echoes of Mercury Rev mixed with Pink Floyd. They make the sort of music that is both interesting and engaging, up to a point.

The big problem with 'Summer Palace' is a classic case of a sound getting in the way of the songs. When it works, it is brilliant. The poppy guitar work of opener 'Wilderness' and then 'Stranger', full of ideas and packed with choral vocals and delicious xylophone, showcases the band's talents perfectly. Likewise the acoustic led 'Teenagers Talking' has Mauro hitting falsetto with his quirky vocals. It is musically excellent, a great big wall of pop sound. 'All Our Songs' continues the highlights - not as good as the aforementioned duo but the combination of delicate guitars and pounding drums, playful vocals and ultimate howling, has a certain engaging charm. The lyrics are predictably nondescript as they try to draw a connection with the listener: "Let the darkness in me be the light in you". Not so much a bittersweet juxtaposition of sound and subject but a fusion of moods. The real surprise is 'Siamese', with Onyee on vocal duty - a simple short respite from the huge torrent of guitars; just a piano and a gorgeous voice.

There are very few horrible moments on the album but when it is bad, it is really bad. The dark surf guitars of 'End Of The Road' echoed by jaded vocals and a start-stop sound lead to a whiny vocal and messy ending. It sounds like a lost forgotten track from an early 'Supergrass' album. The epic 'Smallest Heart On Earth' turns from pleasant music to incoherent howling, is full of annoying whistling and at six minutes is at least a minute too long. It chooses to drift off agonisingly. Even worse is the coupling of 'Brainless' and 'Map Of The World', effectively killing off what is left of the band's credibility. The former is ruined by incessant trumpet and underwater keyboards, while the latter is the worse song on the album, Onyee unrecognisable from her previous vocal duty on 'Siamese'. She returns for the cutesy pop of 'Adrenaline' this time buzzing with energy, but just as bad.

It is even more annoying when good songs are ruined by bad ideas. 'Hollywood' is a perfect example. It changes pace too much and the dark guitar sound is a mess. One thing the band need is a reliance on a 'big' finish - simply throwing in noise to prove yet again that they are self-confessed multi-instrumentalists. As if we need to know every time. As always the devil is in the detail and more often than not, keeping it subtle and simple is the best policy. 'I Dream Along' has a strong start, epitomising the band's wonderful sound, but quickly becomes ordinary. It is almost redeemed with a great guitar break and some neat electronica. 'Summer Palace' closers with the achingly dull 'Lack Of View' which just about sums it up. The song is devoid of any discernable melody and by now you know exactly what is about to happen. There is a big guitar outro with wordless vocal accompaniment. A predictable shame.

It is clear that the members of 'Sunny Day Sets Fire' are musicians with a wealth of ideas. The band has a great sound, when it all works, but the quirky soon transforms into silly and annoying. "I don't wanna be brainless', sings Mauro on the uninspired 'Brainless'. This has to be an attempt at irony but with everything that has come before it feels like a slap in the face. Music is art but sometimes the art takes over. You need an open mind for 'Sunny Day Sets Fire'. Unfortunately this means that you have to let your brain escape.

-- CS (for Altsounds.com)