We shouldn’t be surprised after 2024’s successful Boyfriend/Girlfriend EP, but it’s wonderful to see L.A.’s Sunday Mourners arrive fully formed on their first full-length, the well-titled A-Rhythm Absolute. It’s a sharp and rich statement that can be labeled as art-rock or post-punk, feeling both lived-in and restless, showcasing the band’s angular instincts. The ten energetic songs fascinate with clever hooks, rhythmic tension, and playful melodic charm, held together by mathy guitar contortions and narrative-driven vocals.
Opener Careers In Acting sets the tone with sardonic bite, before branching out in different directions, with the four musicians pulling out all the stops to captivate us listeners. They usually manage to pack all their creativity into two or three minutes, but the band earns its longer detours too, stretching out in the 12 minutes of Darling. It makes for a confident, characterful debut with noisy, youthful urgency, one that makes a lasting impression.
A-Rhythm Absolute—recorded, mixed, and mastered by Jonny Bell—is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP, through Curation Records. Featuring Quinn A. Robinson (vocals, guitar), Maxwell Pugh (guitar), Casey Conklin (bass), and Z Evan Long (drums, percussion).