Sunbird - Inside My Head

The Boston based group known as Sunbird just put out their latest collection last month titled "Inside My Head". The collection takes a classic rock oriented approach, coupled with dabbles in neo-psychedelia that makes the group stand out prominently from the other groups on the rise out there, but the band has their own unique and identifiable thumbprint that gives them an edge and aren't just a soundalike band.

We start things out with the title track, a mellow and breezy tune that introduces you to the band's musical escapades and the terrific lead vocals of frontman Everett McKee who contributes a great deal to the band's melodic sensibilities that are only just unfolding right before your very eyes and ears. "Peace Beneath The City" is another terrific and low-key track, hinting at the band's superb ability to weave a certain ethereal, calm nature that is brought about with simple instrumentation thrown about in the background for good measure that doesn't have to do too much and is just enough for the casual music listener to appreciate at ear level. "Underneath the Moon" is perhaps my favorite track off the album that really encapsulates the band's musical aesthetic perfectly to a T, with warm and inviting melodies and soothing, periodic vocals emanating from Everett provide for an immensely enjoyable listening experience that is the tipping point for getting into this band at full steam. "Juliet" is another prominent track featuring more noticeable and polished guitar licks that allow the band to evolve just slightly, but still retain the trademark characteristics that make them who they are both personally and musically.

The second half takes shape with "Who Am I", a track that has a certain slight groove laden edge to it that shows the band in their comfort zone and taking their sound to another level to keep the audience in tune for what lays ahead. "Blue Sky" sees the guys do justice to an Allman Brothers tune with their own personalities bubbling to the surface, and they avoid doing a note-by-note recreation of the track and instead put out their own vision of the track and takes it to places that are more reflective of the musical climate today. "Motionless Faces" gets us ready for the conclusion of the album with ample musical experimentation for the masses coupled with a calm and relaxed nature to it that puts in a positive frame of mind almost immediately. "Civilian" closes it all with a terrific acoustic number that allows us to look back on the effort in a reflective manner with Everett's wistful voice running rampant throughout the track and is brought all together with the warmth and camaraderie of all his bandmates around him to close out the album right. I was very intrigued by this album, and I loved the fact that the guys didn't have to do too much and were solely focused on creating music that they only knew how to make and unveil their creative sound to a captive and far reaching audience.

In summary, a terrific and well mixed effort from Sunbird, a Boston band that is definitely worthy of some attention and notice with a collection that exposes their organic and straightforward sound to an audience that is clamoring for a break from the ordinary type of music currently populating the scene.

                                                                                                                        Album Score: 3.5/5

Track Listing:

1. Inside My Head
2. Ghost Town
3. Peace Beneath The City
4. Underneath The Moon
5. On The Run
6. Juliet
7. Who Am I
8. End to End
9. Blue Sky
10. Light as a Feather
11. Motionless Faces
12. Civilian