Sunlust – Geek Confessions

Originally born in small town Canada, Toronto’s Sunlust are reflecting back on their origins, their new album, Geek Confessions, does what it says on the sleeve, this is a band reflecting on their escape from social isolation, which is a timely theme for all off us. The subject of escaping from the inhibitions of small town tedium are a universal theme, and one I can identify with having escaped from the stultifying confines and low expectations of a dreary southern satellite of my home city decades ago. Whilst the temptation is to look back with rose tinted spectacles, Sunlust quite rightfully thrown them in the bin and deliver a personal and relatable reflection.

Geek Confessions was not originally intended to be an album, the recording of the original five tracks started in the pre-pandemic era of December 2019, just a few months later everything changed and the world locked down. Everybody has found their own idiosyncratic outlets to help keep them sane in these strange times, Sunlust took the original concept and expanded it into the Geek Confessions full length. Something that is also reflected in the recording process that sees the original handful of songs recorded with Lorne Hounsell, with the flip side recorded with Jack Wiktor at Cadence House.

Sonically Sunlust are fulled by the grunge and alternative scene of the 90’s, a scene that has deservedly being experiencing something of a renaissance. Overdriven fuzzed out chords mix with harmonies that can, at a moments notice, turn into guttural howls. The tracks that comprised the original EP possess an almost pop sensibility, they all feel polished and crafted with a more radio friendly sound. The flip side brings a different side of the band into play, Initially the upbeat gem of Whippets leads you into believing that you are heading into a faster and more urgent side of Geek Confessions. A further twist is delivered as after the initial burst of energy the foot is slowly taken off the gas and they deliver a rawer, but less urgent, soundtrack that culminates in the slow burning Sad Sap.

On the surface you could argue that Sunlust have delivered an album that, almost, feels like a step back by about two decades, but that’s not the end of the story. This is a personal journey about escaping the humdrum and celebrating being exactly who you want to be in the more cosmopolitan surroundings of city living. If you want comparisons then you could argue that the UK’s Hands Off Gretel and the international duo of Yur Mum are worthy contemporaries. If you want to delve deeper into the past then the likes of the Muffs, Magnapop and Hole certainly trod this road before them, but this is Sunlust‘s own personal journey and it’s one worth experiencing.

Geek Confessions is now available via digital platforms including Amazon, Apple Music, Bandcamp and Spotify