Ars Nova - Sunshine & Shadows [LP]

Cat. no: LPSUND5649
Format: LP
Barcode: 090771564917
Release Date: 14 Jun 2024
Genre: Rock

Touted as the "new Doors," Ars Nova's second release shows the band genre-bending jazz and heavy psychedelia in a style that's their own

Shifting from a largely classical centric sound, this was the group's last album before going their separate ways.

Sunshine & Shadows takes the baroque- meets- psych sound of the debut and turns a bit more to the psych side. The stately brass interludes are gone, but horns still fgure prominently in the mix. There's some jazzy New Orleans favor to a couple of the tunes, albeit twisted into a 7/4 vamp on "You Had Better Listen."The instrumentalists in the band, featuring trumpet and trombone, really give the music a unique favor, setting them apart from the multitudes of other American psych bands. Ars Nova might be likened to Ultimate Spinach (but without the overly serious, pretentious lyrics) or later Zombies (though with less emphasis on the keyboards). 

It's all very well written and nicely played, and when they do a tender ballad like "Temporary Serenade," the acoustic guitar is very lute-like, much more along the lines of classical than folk (like the later work of Jan Akkerman with Focus), and the trumpet descant adds a lovely spice.

"Well, Well, Well" is the heaviest rock tune in their repertoire, with a great electric guitar riff and hot organ playing, again set apart by trombone and trumpet. This one is defnitely worth seeking out for baroque pop fans.

LP Tracks: Sunshine & Shadows / I Was Once / Temporary Serenade / She Promises Everything / Well, Well, Well / You Had Better Listen / Round Once Again / Walk On The Sand / Rubbish / Please Don't Go Now