Sunbourne Rd - Xie

Sunbourne Rd

Xie
​self-released; 2020

By Jamie Funk

Sunbourne Rd is back with a new EP entitled Xie. He explains this EP was a little different in approach and I really liked his explanation. Basically, the artist wrote the music but the producer was in charge of the sound. I thought it sounded great and this is arguably his strongest release.

The song starts with “Told Mara” which harks back to post-punk but really aligns more with bands like Interpol and The Killers than Joy Division. It’s a solid opener with catchy melodies and an explosive chorus. I could argue this is the most single worthy track in the batch.

“Let It Go” was my favorite song in the batch. I was getting more of a ’60s vibe on this song and it reminded me specifically of The Beatles on this song. The vocals are great throughout this EP but man do they shine against this type of delivery and more ballad like approach to the songwriting. I think the piano and vocals alone were pretty incredible sounding.

“Xie” is next and is a little more dark and perhaps a more Radiohead type of vibe with some delicate guitar picking that is juxtaposed against a rocking rhythm section. “In Dependence” was another slight change in direction. The music on this song didn’t feel rock oriented. It’s moody and there are some synths and percussive elements which add to that quality. Last up is “Landscape Fantasy” which is a warm and reflective ballad. There are some inventive transitions and some fantastic guitar licks on this song. 

The EP is only sixteen minutes but really filled to the max with quality tunes. There are a number of different flavors and the artist and producer in this case were talented enough to make each song shine. 

​Overall, this is a great release and a very welcome addition to an ever growing discography. Recommended.

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