sunday works – “Turned To Gloss”
sunday works – “Turned To Gloss” – Single Review
It’s always funny to me when I read about a band or an artist being “Experimental,” and then you listen, and you’re like…shouldn’t you get to be called something else if the experiment worked out? I present to you, my case in-point…sunday works, who are currently trying to get a rise out of my Microsoft Word program based on the lowercase S in their name that so desperately wants to be capitalized. Anyhow. Yes, I understand that Experimental is a genre, and yes sunday works rightly belongs there…but I felt like they should at least get the credit for having at least a fair amount of their shit together, you know what I mean? This single “Turned To Gloss” flashes a lot of skill in how they pursue the sound they’re aiming for. According to their bio online, you’ll learn that this duo of Lizzie Ferrell and Jackie Simons borrow a lot of influence from French Art-Pop, and that certainly tracks if we’re going by what you’ll hear in their latest offering. “Turned To Gloss” might not be quite as extravagant as something like Stereolab in that regard, but it’s definitely close to the kind of artistic integrity that we used to hear in independent bands like The Other Colors, and the solo work that was released by their main contributor, artist Marie Möör.
But yes…yes this qualifies as Experimental…I’m cool with that label and I agree with what they’re saying. Experimental, in many ways, is another way of stating that your music is anti-typical, and/or not suited for the ol’ mainstream…which again, points towards artistic integrity and the courage to blaze your own trail. Lizzie and Jackie clearly have no issues with being different when it comes to the music they’re making, and of course I love that. “Turned To Gloss” is interesting in the sense that it’s kind of got a very accessible vibe at the very start of it all…almost within the Post-Punk realm of sound as its builds its first impression on ya through the music. Heck, I’d go as far as to say they’ve got something that’d damn near fit into The Cure’s catalog within that first minute, which is all instrumental. Dark and beautiful and creative…I honestly think it’s freakin’ gorgeous, and absolutely had me giving every ounce of attention to this single straight away. As it ticks past that first minute, that’s where you end up finding out where the Experimental portion of their sound comes in, which enters into this scenario through their vocals.
That’s the real dividing line here y’all…if sunday works was an instrumental duo, they’d probably find an easier path to acceptance when it comes to the listeners out there. Take that however you’d like to – I’m not saying it as any kind of insult, just an objective truth – the way they choose to use their vocals adds in an additional artistic dimension & sound that is likely beyond most listeners, generally speaking. You see what I’m saying? That’s not necessarily saying something’s bad – but for sure, it could become polarizing. If you’re familiar with these pages of ours, you know that I think being polarizing can be a genuinely great thing when it comes to the art of making music, because it’s essentially the opposite of indifference. Love what the vocals bring to a song like “Turned To Gloss,” or hate it, people WILL talk about it and discuss what they hear in what sunday works creates, and come to their own conclusions.
Don’t get me wrong, I fully support the artistic approach they’ve taken here, even if I too might question the results somewhat. Personally, I find the music they’ve made for “Turned To Gloss” completely and totally irresistible – it’s exactly what I love to listen to, full stop. When the vocals kick in, things do change for the direction of this track, and I don’t know that I always felt like it was for the better. On the one hand, I admire the technique that’s displayed…it might appear to be an odd pairing with the high up vocal melody paired with the lower-key vibes of the music, which almost appears to be buried in the mix by comparison to how bright the vocals come out sounding. So…yeah…I mean, to me, it’s almost like they’re highlighting the wrong element as the main strength, from my perspective. What I felt was slightly missing from how they chose to add the vocals into this song, was that feeling of that particular part being necessary. Like I said, I don’t mind what I’m hearing, but at the same time, I have a much tougher time justifying the inclusion of the vocals when I’m not convinced they continue to push the song forward – make sense? As I always say on these pages of ours, if you’re not absolutely certain if something is adding to the material, there’s a very good chance that it’s taking something away – and that could be the case when it comes to “Turned To Gloss.” Just because you can add a part, doesn’t automatically always mean that you should…I suppose that’s what I’m getting at. Everything in the music sounds so purposeful and deliberate in the writing, whereas the vocals seem like more of an afterthought by comparison when it comes to the writing…that’s how I’m hearing it. Do I expect everyone out there to agree with me? Hell no. Never have and never will, I can promise you that. All I can give you is my perspective on what’s happening in anything that I’m listening to, and you’re always free to disagree. As long as you’re listening, that’s all that’s ever going to matter to me. I’m intrigued by what sunday works is doing, so don’t get me wrong – I might not be in love with every part of this song, but I do think there’s a heck of a lot going right with “Turned To Gloss” too, and I’d absolutely listen to more from this duo without question, if only to find out what else there is down the rabbit hole with them. They’ve got the kind of uniqueness it takes to stand out from the rest, and that’s the best kind of blocks you can build a foundation on if you ask me…the more they “experiment,” the further they’ll go.
Find out more about sunday works from their official page at Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sundayworksmusic
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