The folk-rock group Sun K from Toronto, Ont. released their debut album Northern Lies on Tuesday, March 10.
The eight-song collection recorded over the last two years features a barrage of riff heavy, folksy, blues tunes. Cone McCaslin of Sum 41, who has also produced work for The Strumbellas and Operation MD, produced the LP Northern Lies, but it couldn’t be further from pop punk.
“[Cone] looked at it from an objective perspective,” says drummer, Aaron Bravener. “He really helped the songs come alive the way they needed instead of putting his toes and fingers in there. He just guided it on its natural path.”
Originally from Fredericton, Aaron was playing with his brother Josh in Josh Bravener and the Hypochondriacs when he first saw Sun K at Paddle Fest in Saint Andrews last spring.
“I just jokingly said ‘if you guys ever need a drummer, let me know,’ a month later they came a calling. So I hopped on a plane, and I’m still here.”
Especially apparent in songs like Let It Grow and New York City Blues, Sun K has a firm grasp on choir worthy vocal harmonies. What sets them apart from other rock ‘n roll bands is their use of harmonicas, violins and synth tones to create fluent folk melodies that broadens their indie rock sound.
Although Northern Lies isn’t a concept album, there was a definitive intention behind it.
“The overall encompassing idea is truth love loss and deception,” says lead vocalist Kristian Montano. “Finding your way in your mid-twenties, when you’re kind of winging it, and trying to figure out what you want to do and where you want to go.”
Although Sun K is harder than most folk bands, they still embody strains of the Toronto folk scene that has created artists such as Jonie Mitchell and Neil Young.
“The root of the song normally starts with that singer-songwriter mentality, when I first started learning how to writing songs, I fell in love with the years between 1964 to 1972,” says Montano. “Then we bring that root to the band and it expands into a much greater, modern take on that idea.”
Sun K will be bringing their bluesy groove to The Capital on Saturday, March 21. They will also be doing a live show and Q&A for CHSR FM’s studio D on the 21 at 1 p.m.
