Sunflower Bean’s Mortal Primetime Radiates Resilience

Mortal Primetime feels like a paradox: both a homecoming and a bold step forward. It’s a shimmering, shape-shifting album full of arena-ready ambition, yet deeply personal. After a period of distance and self-discovery, Sunflower Bean return not just with new songs, but with a new philosophy: this is the moment, and it’s not up for negotiation.

From the first notes of "Champagne Taste", you can hear the band’s renewed fire. It’s a tightly wound, glam-tinged opener that plays like a mission statement—sun-kissed, yes, but with teeth. That duality threads through the album: dreamy textures punctuated by jolts of emotional grit.

"Waiting For The Rain" is a highlight, driven by a groove-heavy rhythm section and flecked with woozy synths, capturing the anticipation of change—whether personal or political. Cumming’s voice soars here, as it does on "I Knew Love", a modern torch song that channels the vulnerability of Lana Del Rey with the precision of Chrissie Hynde.

The production is full of subtle details—a warped guitar flourish here, a ghostly harmony there—that reveal themselves over repeat listens. It’s a testament to the band’s growth as producers and arrangers. Mortal Primetime doesn’t just sound good—it feels lived in.

Yet the album’s emotional heart lies in its quietest moments. "Please Rewind" is a gentle, aching plea for do-overs and second chances, its nostalgic title perfectly suited for a band reflecting on the path not taken. And "Shooting Star" is a cosmic lullaby, dreamy and detached, as if sung to someone drifting further and further out of reach.

Thematically, Mortal Primetime is about reclamation—of self, of identity, of artistry. It’s an album that looks pain in the eye and says, “Not yet.” And in that way, it feels essential—not just for Sunflower Bean, but for anyone fighting to define their own prime, on their own terms.