Introducing: Sun Gods To Gamma Rays
When listening to local music, it can sometimes be tough to resist the urge to assign TC bands a “local handicap,” in effect giving them a discount pass simply for being from the Twin Cities. It reduces “music criticism” to pure cheerleading, and in the end neither bands nor listeners really benefit. Still, I am guilty of this phenomenon, just as are pretty much all of our local media outlets. I want to make this point because I was listening to Radio K the other day, and Sun Gods to Gamma Rays’ “Not Worth Anything” came over the stereo, and it is to the bands’ credit that, without any knowledge of where the band is from, I immediately went to the K’s playlist to find out who they were. Sun Gods to Gamma Rays are, I found out, a local band. And a very good one at that! They play melodic dream pop draped in melancholy piano and ethereally reverbed guitar chords. The band is fronted by vocalist CAETANI, who’s lovely intonation seems to fall comfortably somewhere between Polica’s Channy Leaneagh and Beach House’s Victoria LeGrand. Backing CAETANI are Paul Flynn (guitar), Brian Gollnick (bass), Peter Bregman (electric piano) and Mitch Miller (drums). You can check out the track that was my introduction to the band below, and if you dig it you can stream the band’s new EP at their bandcamp site. You can also see the band perform tonight at the 7th St. Entry, where they’ll be opening for Swedish duo Deer Tracks.
— Jon
