Sun Room is Going "Outta Their Minds" Having *The* Most Fun Record Out Right Now!
By Lucy Jones
Sun Room, a four-piece band, made up of Luke Asgian (lead vocals + guitar), Ashton Minnich (guitar), Max Pinamonti (bass) and Gibby Anderson (drums) is relatively new on the scene, formed during the pandemic as a quarantine project led by Asgian. Hailing from the west-coast, Sun Room's sound is most certainly influenced by the group's upbringing in surf towns along southern California. Self-described as "some friends from Southern California who like to surf & make music out of their very hot garage," Sun Room as a band is more than just surf and sand. Hints of those feel good 60s classics and garage rock undertones elevate the band's sound, offering up a fun and rocking discography. Sun Room just dropped their junior EP, Outta Their Minds, and it’s everything we could have hoped for and more.
Cadillac
The grit of vocal strain from frontman Luke Asgian truly makes this track shine, his vocals have continued to mature as he proves even more control over his sheer talent. The full force of his voice adds an urgency and intensity to the song, which is rounded out perfectly with the sheer vibrancy of the accompanying instrumentals. From the brief slow down midtrack to the absolutely bananas tempo pickup about three-fourths of the way through the song, “Cadillac” keeps you on your toes. The first single of the EP, “Cadillac” is chef’s kiss from a production standpoint. The layering of backing vocalizations, layered repetition of lyrics, and those triple claps blend so freaking well with the instruments. Ironically titled, “Cadillac” references trying hard to impress someone without having the means. By far, a groovier and funkier sound, “Cadillac” leans further into the 60’s rock sounds but is wonderfully married with the intensity and vibrancy of present-day garage rock.
“I don’t have a dime to my name
I don’t got fame
But my love remains”
Kaden’s Van
A quintessential Sun Room track, “Kaden’s Van” evokes all things summer, surf, and losing track of time with your friends. A hallmark of Sun Room’s discography is the innate quality to conjure the image and feeling of long, planless summer nights and seeing where the night takes you. It’s the perfect track to hold you over until warm weather decides to grace the parts of the US that may not be blessed with the endless nice weather of southern California (i.e. Ohio). The accompanying music video visualizes exactly how this song feels, you know a band is good when they can perfectly capture universal experiences. The perfect summer anthem for the unemployed who are excited to see where the day takes them, “Kaden’s Van” is a must for your summer playlist. Oh, and the guitar freaking rips in this song. Thank you, Ashton Minnich.
“No Job
No pay
Don’t need it anyway
No plan
Today
But we sure got the summertime”
Sunset Garage
This track is a personal highlight of the “Outta Their Minds” EP for me. The establishing drum beat from Gibby Anderson sold me on the track within the first 5 seconds, and progressively got even more incredible as the song went on. A complete embrace of the classic 1960s rock sound intertwined with the intensity of present day garage-rock, “Sunset Garage” paints a story of a chance encounter turned infatuation after their car breaks down and the girl working at the garage is just so lovely. The production on this track is another highlight. The backing vocalizations from the band, the abrupt “Ba’s” in the chorus, and the down right groovy guitar throughout the song builds out and adds depth to the classic 60s sound. “Sunset Garage” feels like it could have been performed on American Bandstand in the 60s and would have made everyone go wild.
“At Sunset Garage,
In love with the girl
Who’s working on my car”
Outta Their Minds
Holyyyy smokes, the bass line intro for this song hits so hard. Is it only 2 seconds? Yeah, but bassist Max Pinamonti kills it then and continues to kill it for the rest of the track. A song where you can actually hear the bass line? Count me in. The consistent low strum of the bass deepens Sun Room’s typical bright and vibrant sound into a more robust and gritty rock soundscape. Drummer Gibby Anderson also shines on this track by just going absolutely ham with the beat in the bridge, words cannot express how fantastic it sounds. Another apt usage of clapping and backing vocalization is used to round out the EP’s titular track. Thematically more ambiguous than classic Sun Room lyrics, “Outta Their Minds” chronicles the outside criticism our generation gets from older generations for simply existing.. Oh, and that bit with just the bass + drums–gold stars all around.
“The kids are losing their minds
You can't keep up with the times”
Outta Their Minds is an incredible junior EP release for Sun Room. Not only is it straight-up riotous fun, but there’s also clear growth from the band since their first 2020 release, Sol Del Sur. As the band continues to hone in on their classic Sun Room sound, they’re still making room for experimentation. The EP’s experimental philosophy rings through with the boisterous fun of tracks “Kaden’s Van” and “Cadillac”, and 60s infused modern day garage rock in “Outta Their Minds,” and “Sunset Garage.” Listening to the EP with headphones is a must to experience the full depth of these tracks and pick up on all the little elements, such as the pre-chorus quick silences in "Sunset Garage" or the rhythmic clapping in "Cadillac." Each band member has moments of musical prowess that contribute to the overall excellence of the EP, and it’s incredible to hear. Sun Room has masterfully created a soundscape that is uniquely theirs, symphonically intertwining the bright instrumentation of surf music, the riotous fun of 60s rock, and the sonic depth of modern day garage-rock to create Outta Their Minds, and it’s done so dang well.
Stream Outta Their Minds, out now!
