(Fat Possum)

Satisfying, smiley pop music 

Sonny And The Sunsets have some nerve calling their sophomore record Hit After Hit. How dare they presume that their own record is of such outstanding quality! That assessment is our job, goddammit! Perhaps they mean something else? Perhaps they think we’ll pummel our stereos repeatedly with our fists as the opening bars of She Plays Yo Yo With My Mind drift from the speakers? This last scenario actually proves unlikely with the San Franciscan group producing a mostly likeable record. Taking cues from ’50s and ’60s pop, the group uses layers of shimmering guitar tones, demure organ and upbeat percussion to prop up brightly lit narratives on heartbreak, such as Pretend You Love Me. Deeper listening reveals hidden social commentary, with Heart Of Sadness and Don’t Act Dumb seemingly commenting on contesting views of sexual politics. Hit After Hit may not literally be what it says it is, but there is definitely more lying underneath Sonny And The Sunsets buoyant and cheerful pop melodies than it first seems.

DARRAGH MURRAY

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