Sunday's Best
My Very Ethos 7''
A Simple Star
1998
Rating: 6.5 old homesteads out of 10
This is the early, more emo version of Sunday's Best, before they basically turned into a pop band (their full-length "The Californian" from 2002 was particularly good and sadly seemingly forgotten). While I was way into the whole emo musical style of the mid-nineties, I didn't get into this group until their poppier later years so it's fun/interesting to go back and listen to them when they were clearly influenced by Sunny Day Real Estate and Mineral and that lot. Not sure how much I will ever go back and listen to this wax, but as I probably grabbed it out of the bargain bin at Amoeba or somewhere similar it was definitely worth a check out.
Sunday’s Best
The Californian
Polyvinyl
2002
Rating: 7 Kevin Costners out of 10
Be it their affiliation with Polyvinyl Records or most of the bands
that they play shows with, but Sunday’s Best seem to always unfairly get lumped in the "emo" category when what they
really are is just good melodic pop music. Reminding me of later-era Knapsack, The Jealous Sound (Blair from
Knapsack’s new band, which features the bassist of Sunday’s Best as well), and The Weakerthans, Sunday’s
Best bring a beautiful blend of California sunshine pop with a slightly downer outlook. Singer Ed Reyes has a very
unassuming and warm voice, and it doesn’t take many listens for the choruses to get stuck in your head. This
album would be equally good as a companion on a summer road trip, or a nice selection to listen to in your
headphones as you trudge to work or school on an overcast day. A great sophomore effort, and if they continue in this
fashion they could be bound for great things.
