Original Motion Picture,
SunfactorI'll be completely honest and say that I know very little about Sunfactor. I know that they are currently on Firefly, are Fracture 'darlings' and probably couldn't give a f-k what I think about their new record, but that's about it. I always listen with a little trepidation when I pick up a copy of a 'scene' band's cd because usually they're not half as good as the scene itself makes it out to be. Thankfully Sunfactor have shattered any illusion I may have had that they were some zine's wet dream and the grandiose 'Original Motion Picture' really does deliver the goods.
Sunfactor play an emo/pop/rock hybrid that would fit rather snugly onto the Deep Elm roster. There's certainly an element of Brandtson in there and after listening to Benton Falls for about 3-days solid I can certainly hear some of that too, unsurprising really since the band actually made it onto one of the 'Emo Diaries'. Like most Firefly releases the production is lovely and thick and a credit to John Hannon as per usual. The record follows a theme throughout in that the songs don't really follow the usual verse/chorus/verse structure, instead they go through hacking and twisting at whatever is in their path. Opener 'Invincible' is a little cracker although it has a terrible rip-off of Dashboard Confessional in the final 40 seconds. The melody from the "I feel invincible..." refrain is so stolen it hurts and is totally uneccessary, detracting from what is otherwise a real anthem-in-waiting.
The tracks continue to be solid with the twee 'Last Dance' really standing out. It's difficult to explain, a real lighters in the air moment, but it exposes the emotional cracks in the band's armour, showing that beneath the tough musical exterior there's a heart benath everything. It's emotional without being emo, hinting back at the likes of Spy vs Spy rather than The Get Up Kids. 'Nine To Five' is a classic, coming over all Clash-like at the outset before regaining its feet, sounding like US emosters Park but maybe even better. 'Further' slows everything right down, while the epic 'Trading Hairbrushes For Hats' is mellow gorgeousness nailed down to a tee.
So I've used the dreaded 'e' word to describe them, but Sunfactor certainly wear their hearts on their sleeves and this is as solid a record as you'll hear from a UK band. It's amazing to consider this is their debut full lengther, but even then you can sense that a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into the making of the album. So Sunfactor - emotional rock done very, very well. For once the 'scene' may have been right...
www.sunfactor.net
Paul
