Sunrunner

Sound DNA

• Rock
• Psych Rock

• layered
• hypnotic
• psychedelic

About

Had the bands of Krautrock (Amon Duul II, Can, NEU!) been heard more regularly in the U.S. back in the early ‘70s—a time when The Velvet Underground were the most influential obscure group—a band like Chicago’s Verma would’ve been as commonplace by the late ‘70s as all the punk bands at CBGB. But since it took another generation for Krautrock to become a common underground influence, the copyright date on this release reads 2014. Bassist Rob Goerke and drummer Zach Corn use the Germans' hypnotic and unforgiving rhythms to give singer Whitney Johnson and synth player TJ Tambellini a wide berth, and Johnny Caluya’s guitar gets the leeway it needs to establish its power. “The Traveller” might have gone on for an hour in the ‘70s, but either vinyl restraints or a lower boredom threshold keeps every song here under 10 minutes. “Hologrammer” is the album’s epic at just more than six minutes and works beautifully as an expansion of the NEU! schematic. Considered their second or third album (depending on what you consider an EP), <i>Sunrunner</i> should establish Verma as Chicago’s best jam band—if instead of Southern or classic rock, you consider space to be the place.

via Apple Music

Tracklist

Credits