When I say that there is a softness to the music we find on Sunflower Lemonaide, I don’t mean that detrimentally; in fact, I would say that Ryan John Clary’s inherent sonic deftness and musical delicacy are, along with an obvious songwriting prowess, the main selling point. It is something that comes as a welcome relief from pop’s brashness, rock’s bombastic nature, indie’s cooler-than-thou elitism, and hip-hop’s often confrontational ways.
And I mention those genres because they are all woven through to some degree, not to mention a not small amount of folk finesse and a ’60s psych-pop vibe. It is a sonic smorgasbord for the discerning musical palate, an album which provides something for everyone, in the very best sense.
If “Try” kicks things off with a neat slice of shimmering indie-pop, a blend of sheen and seduction, “Andy” sits at the other end of the spectrum, a squalling rock groover, soaked in effervescent guitar runs and driving back beats, with a late seventies psychedelic rock ‘n’ soul feel to it. “A World Without You” is a beautiful slice of perfectly textured modern singer-songwriter cool. Apart from having a brilliant title (not to mention helping me hit my word count target far sooner than expected), “(there are too many songs called) One More Time” reminds us that pop music doesn’t have to be lowest common denominator electronica dross and that chilled dance music can also be built around the sound of guitars.
It’s a wonderfully eclectic album, perfectly post-genre, and if the music does ebb and flow across the musical map, what ties it all together is the seductive vocal delivery and the almost humble sense that runs through the songs. Humility is something in short supply these days. Very short supply.
Website
Spotify
Youtube
Instagram
TikTok
