Sunjacket: “Grandstanders”

You may not know it from their songs, but Chicago-based indie act Sunjacket is very new to the music industry and still relatively unknown. That’s not indicative of their abilities, though, and their notoriety is sure to grow in the upcoming months. Because they are talented, pure and simple. If you listen to any of the songs off of their demo album, you’ll recognize Sunjacket as a highly-skilled indie band that enthralls listeners with heartfelt distorted guitar and perfect vocal harmonies.

“Grandstanders” is one of the most notable of their songs. It has a rustic and alternative sound that pays homage to the soft rock music of the ’90s without copying it. At the same time, though, they fit in well amongst the indie acts of today.

It starts off slow, with steady guitar chords draped with sleepy distortion. But once the vocals come in and the drums speed up, the song takes off in a speed that the listener least expects. The fast electrical guitar plucking and the speedy drum beat (that almost sounds like loops) are mellowed by the lead singer’s melancholic voice. He sings low and clear. And there is balance. Obviously, the Sunjacket band members have chemistry, all the instruments intricately layering together and complementing each other like old friends. This is probably best exemplified in the glorious three-part vocal harmonies that dominate the song.

Yes, they are newbies, but Sunjacket produces captivating and interesting music that overshadows their naiveté. Listen to “Grandstanders” to see what all the fuss is about.