Son of the Sun originate from Buffalo, New York, but one of the better songs on their newest EP, “Almost Not There”, finds lead singer Zack Ward singing poetically about good old England with gliding slacker bravado: “I‘ve seen your Henry’s England / I’ve seen him wear his shiny crown / Parading on the streets, in the lovely shops of London town …” That’s about as English as this band gets. Son of the Sun build songs on bouts of combustive electric guitar like sun flair ups, stomping percussive beats, and a 60s psychedelic mentality — but this time around they’ve added something else. It’s the addition of a romantically waltzy, countrified “Fruit Jar”, and the inclusion of the poppier rock sound of a song like, “10,000”, with its melodic backing vocals, and bursting 50s-styled drums. In the latter, Ward sings about trying to find his mojo: “I got to find, I got to find some confidence / Believe in pushing the line into arrogance / Shine a light in opulence / Now turn it off / I’ve never been happy in decadence.” The album opener, “As Far As Lucy”, begins with rollicking guitar and these blazing lyrics: “I see the signs, see the writing on the wall / But I don’t know if I care to (look/love?) …” Since “The Happy Loss” and “Before the After”, Son of the Sun haven’t been interested in taking it slow out of the gate. The music generally says pin your ears back and get ready. The band has always been high-octane. But now they’re showing off even more of their versatility, and their ability to rock out with acoustic guitar, pretty vocal moments and pop melodies. In “Don’t Worry” Son of the Sun shows it can combine their two sides — beginning the track with a drowsy bar-room rhythm that transforms into soaring guitar, backing harmonies and a strange bass sound with serious girth and growl. It’s like some wild, tripped-out, drunken hoedown you don’t ever want to leave. Note: To see the band live: July 22 at the Ulrich City Center, Lockport, N.Y. or July 23 at The Happy Dog in Cleveland, Ohio. — David D. Robbins Jr.
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