Sound Track web extra: Sunshine & The Bad Things

Sunshine & the Bad Things is the latest project of vocalist Valerie Phillips and guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Justin Lee. The two met in The Curious Crandalls and went on to form part of Jeff Markham and The Last Call before embarking on S&TBT about a year ago.

The band (with Heather Martini on keys and viola, Michael Thomson on guitar, Joseph Massie on bass and Chris Carter on drums) calls its sound “a chewy pop rock nougat wrapped in a creamy psychedelic shell.” The band name works pretty well, too, with Phillips’ sweet sometimes-lead and sometimes-background vocal as the sunshine; Lee’s darker growl paired with fuzzy guitars and shadowy textures as the bad things.

Not that much about the hooky, melancholic-yet-energetic power pop of S&TBT could be called “bad.” All five tracks on the woefully brief self-titled EP are imbued with bittersweet restlessness. “I’ll Be Nowhere,” an intoxicating standout, crackles with glitchy synth, long guitar notes, pretty angst and Phillips’ and Lee’s voices doubled on the line,  “I’m not myself and I just don’t care.”

“Kung Fu Boy Scouts” is a sucker punch of post-new wave and alt-rock, somehow edgy and dreamy at once. “Fire Dancer” descends into the murky goth of Joy Division, though Carter’s drumming lends a snap and dance-y pulse to what could otherwise be a narcotic soundscape. Well, the drums and the buoyant psychedelic break.

Though S&TBT’s EP varies widely in style from track to track, each offering is fully-formed and polished. And this is a new band, still finding its footing. Time will no doubt see them honing a sound — any of the EP’s tracks would work, though my hope is for something along the lines of “Traces” (check it out, below) and “I’ll Be Nowhere,” where the band finds an instantly likeable groove yet still manages to slip in a few surprises.

Sunshine & The Bad Things performs at The LAB on Friday, Dec. 16 with Elkmont Place and Anatomy of Frank. 9:30 p.m., $5.

ComScore

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Alli Marshall
Alli Marshall has lived in Asheville for more than 20 years and loves live music, visual art, fiction and friendly dogs. She is the winner of the 2016 Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize and the author of the novel "How to Talk to Rockstars," published by Logosophia Books. Follow me @alli_marshall

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.