If It's Too Loud...

The latest single from Los Angeles's Sunny War may sound like a pretty standard folk/Americana song. It's a pleasant enough song, particularly towards the beginning. It's up tempo, and pretty catchy. But once you start paying attention, you start noticing the punk edge and menace lying just below the surface. "Mama's Milk" is not a fun or happy song. The more the song goes on, the more you start noticing it, even if you're not a lyrics person. Towards the end, a saxophone kicks in which sounds like it's about to start smoothing the edges of the song. Instead, it ramps up the uncomfortable vibe as it starts getting more discordant. Plus, the backing vocals turn into straight up shouting at the same point. Most musicians would do this in a way that would repel most listeners, but Sunny War draws you in even more with this. You can watch the "Subterranean Homesick Blues" inspired video for "Mama's Milk" below. Simple Syrup  is due ...

Sunny War was born in Nashville but has been in Los Angeles for a while now. Those two cities truly flavor her music. Her latest single, "Lucid Lucy," has all of the Americana/folk that you would expect from Nashville, but covered in LA sheen. What's amazing about the sheen on the track is how minimal it is. The song is just Sunny War's vocals, guitar, and cello. Even with such minimal instrumentation, the song is lush and full sounding. The song is about someone who lives such a dull life that they master the art of lucid dreaming and begin enjoying their dream life more. It's a beautiful and compelling song, and a perfect introduction to Sunny War (if this is your first listen to her music). You can watch the video for "Lucid Lucy" below. Simple Syrup is due out on March 26 via Hen House Studios. You can pre-order a copy on Bandcamp . For more on Sunny War, check out the artist's website .