The last time Sunstack Jones released an album, 2020’s Golden Repair, we at Sun 13 were more than a little enamoured of it, describing it as “the best album we are likely to hear this year” and declaring that “falling in love with Sunstack Jones may be the most worthwhile thing you will do this year.” And now that the band have followed it up with a new album, the last line again rings true.
Golden Repair has had a long history with me, where I initially played it to death and then naturally moved on to other records. But, unlike a lot of those other records, I found myself continually returning to it every few months and being bowled over by its wonder all over again. I have then gone on to recommending it to friends and they began their own love affairs with the record. Golden Repair has a half-life well beyond that of most albums.
But, given that it has recently celebrated its fourth birthday, it is probably time for some new Sunstack Jones material to fall in love with. Step forward then Luminous Hands.
Sunstack Jones have spent the last four years honing their craft and Luminous Hands is an album of distilled beauty. References to The Verve seem to no longer apply, as Sunstack Jones have set out on their own, moving on from their influences to create a sound that is all their own. They are still creating blissed out worlds that drift by and would appeal to psych heads, indie fans and lovers of ’60s west coast Americana, but this is just a starting point for Sunstack Jones, the first step on a long, heady journey. Where they go from there is entirely of their own making.
The songs that make up Luminous Hands are, for the most part, shorter than they seem to be when listening to them. While most of the songs clock in at on or under four minutes, they seem to go on for much longer, each one taking the listener on a journey that seems epic in length.
Opening with the title track, the album starts with a gently picked guitar before the rest of the band come in and straight away, we are into Sunstack Jones’ own world of soft focus vocals, beautiful harmonies with a continuous gentle guitar lead running through the songs. The production makes everything sound calm and soothing, despite the band whipping up a storm. It is easy to imagine this being an intense experience live, with the subtleties turned down and the rock attack turned up. Hopefully we will get the chance to experience this very soon.
Next track Even Though follows a similar template, with acoustic guitars carrying the songs, with shimmering electric guitars adding beautiful texture. Once again, I feel I am being swept along on the song’s currents. Sunstack Jones are masters of atmosphere and it perhaps this that is their song’s most memorable impact.
I Guess That’s Fine has something of a Country feel but viewed through The Byrds’ ’60s trippy euphoria. Next track Cope leaves this behind and presents a rougher edge, with distorted guitar present in the mix. Again, I am itching to see this preformed live, complete with oil lamp lightshow.
Sunstack Jones - Luminous HandsSunstack Jones have the knack of instilling a groove into everything they do, a gently rolling feel that carries the listener through the song. It is this groove that stops the songs veering into prog and anchors them into something that will affect the feet as much as the head.
Upstream is almost ballad like and floats along on serene and picturesque waters before Dear Lord ratchets up the epic feeling and carries us along on swathes of pitch perfect harmonies. For a band who may be said to be primarily focussed on guitars, it is their clever and effective use of vocal harmonies that give the songs their main focus and their unique selling point.
Useless Saying is a case in point, starting with a guitar groove before adding effects laden guitars into the mix. At this point, the song could quite easily become a spaced out guitar blockbuster, but the multi layered vocals stop that from happening and give the song focus. There is almost a struggle as to which side of the band should win out, but the battle is evenly matched and each of these twin aspects of Sunstack Jones are given their own space in the songs.
Laughing adds some piano to the mix and is a melancholic highlight of the album, with guitars and vocals beautifully meshed together. Moriarty Motel is an instrumental that starts with what sounds like a rumble of static, threating a storm of noise. The storm does not materialise, but the songs is one of the album’s more upbeat numbers.
If I was to offer a note of criticism here, and this is nit picking in the extreme, I would like to hear what would happen if Sunstack Jones were to cut loose and just go for it, to leave subtelty behind and give in to their inner rock behemoths. They come close to it on this track, but maybe this is something they save for the stage. There is a great set of musicians in Sunstack Jones, maybe we could hear what noise they are capable of creating.
Luminous Hands needs to go out on a high note after what we have been through together so far, and the widescreen Can’t Go Back Home is exactly what is needed; a superbly sprawling ambitious track that turns the EPIC dial up to 11. There are elements of Ride style indie, 60s rock and modern shoegaze here, all coming together in one glorious rush of sound. It seemingly finishes around the five minute mark, before a new hidden track starts up, featuring a solo piano and the gorgeous Sunstack Jones vocals.
Few bands, if any, are capable of doing what Sunstack Jones do in such creating dizzying, joyful, expansive sounds. What we hope is that the slow burn of Golden Repair has built up a sufficient army of fans that they can propel Luminous Hands into the charts and bring it to the attention of the larger record buying public. God knows they deserve it.
Luminous Hands is one of the best albums I have heard in recent years. Sunstack Jones are masters of their craft and it is about time people were aware of this. They are still a band to fall in love with.
Luminous Hands is out now via AV8 Records. Purchase from Bandcamp.