HEADFUL OF SUGAR is a mixed bag for psych-indie dreamers SUNFLOWER BEAN 

SUNFLOWER BEAN

Headful Of Sugar (Lucky Number)

I had high expectations for third album from Sunflower Bean, after seeing them perform a dang good set at Cardiff’s Globe a few years back; their Twentytwo, one of my tunes of that year, was also endorsed by Paul Weller. Although Headful of Sugar is more consistent, their quality control still needs adjustment, with some duffers in the turgid Roll The Dice, the hoary riffs of the similarly titled Beat The Odds and the Poundland Pixies of Feel Somebody which grate over repeated listens.

Baby Don’t Cry is more addictive, though, and Julia Cummings’ vocal on Who Put You Up To This is a swoonsome heartbreak match for Wolf Alice’s How Can I Make It OK? The dreamy Otherside and the fade-in and out of its distorted drums show the good production influence of Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Jacob Portrait, while I Don’t Have Control Sometimes is pretty darn catchy, and Post Love a solid, Katy Perryish electropop chart-botherer.

words CHRIS SEAL