Artist: Sunny Day Sets Fire
Album: Summer Palace
Label: IAMSOUND Records
Release Date: July 8th 2008

Listen to "Mandarin":

London-based band Sunny Day Sets Fire, whose name makes me think of both Sunny Day Real Estate and Alexisonfire, (but who don't sound like either), are certainly unique for their broad range of hometowns: singer/guitarist Mauro and fellow guitarist Max hail from Italy, while other singer Onyee (also synth and drums) is from Hong Kong, Ed (bass/synth) is from the UK, and drummer/keyboard player Matthew is from Canada. As their myspace bio says, "It's enough to make you burn your passport and declare yourself a converted citizen of the world." This group of multi-instrumentalists got its start when Mauro and Onyee met working at a theatre in London, and after recruiting the others, their signature blend of indie psych pop was born.

After releasing a couple EPs on Brikabrak in 2006, entitled Brainless and Wilderness, the band now has a full-length album due out July 8th on L.A.'s IAMSOUND Records. Available on iTunes now, Summer Palace is an album full of unbridled indie pop bliss, at first listen, reminding me of one of my favorite local bands The Little Ones, especially in the second track "Stranger". Mauro's vocals are a little similar to Ed Reyes's of The Little Ones, although he also sometimes reminds me of Jonas Bjerre from Danish band Mew, as in the nicely titled song "Smallest Heart in the World". Onyee picks up the vocals on "Siamese" and that particular song is really lovely, probably my favorite on the album, with "Mandarin" falling in second and maybe "Adrenaline" in third.

The band is touring overseas at the moment, but I'm looking forward to catching a show when they visit L.A. next.

Image via IAMSOUND