Old school classical meets joyful rock 'n' roll energy in "Agapanthus" by The Sundots

The Sundots

The Sundots are a high voltage Baroque 'n' roll band who takes popular song structures and fuses them with elements of old school classical counterpoint and tonal harmony. The result is a colorful, quirky sonic environment that anyone can enjoy. Their songs discuss the universal themes of human existence: love, heartbreak, acceptance, and peanut butter. 

Currently based in New York, they have self-released a double album of 26 songs titled "Flowers in Mythology". This album was recorded in two separate installments, the first being "Polemonium", released in 2021, and the second being "Agapanthus", released earlier in 2023. These albums were mostly recorded and mixed in their apartments in Manhattan, and later Brooklyn. "Flowers in Mythology" can be enjoyed by anyone who loves adventures, catchy melodies, interesting sonic landscapes, classical music, rock music, and oddities. It is available on all streaming services and on their website thesundots.com.

Initially attracted to listen to their second album by the flowers reference (I'm a big flower lover!), I was then surprised by the originality of their work. The short intro "Agapanthus", with its Versailles ballroom vibe, is followed by "Cursive Period" whose simple but catchy lyrics are accompanied by a melody reminiscent of 50s Hollywood musicals. Then let's dance with "Peripherals", a very happy tune perfect to listen to in the morning before you start the day. The rest of the album is a rollercoaster of different energetic vibes, from the sweetness of "Another Day" and "Sweet 'N' Low" to the crazy mood of "Masquerade", "Can't Hold On" and "My Favorite Color". When you finish the album, you'll have the feeling of having seen a Broadway musical from start to finish, with all its explosions of colours, emotions, harmonies, intrumentals and vocal tones. The Sundots are definitely a breath of fresh air, who distinguish themselves from the masses with their joyful Greek energy that lights up the heart and the spirit. 

Now, let's know more about their story! The band was formed in 2017 by Constantine Novotny, Efthimi Matsamakis, and Dan Seiderman, who were all childhood friends. Constantine and Efthimi grew up in the Pancretan community of metro-Detroit where they practiced Cretan dancing for over a decade. Constantine and Dan met in the 4th grade. Dan and Efthimi later went on to form the rock band Chief Larson and the Fire Puppets, which played many rousing shows at Michigan State University and the surrounding area of East Lansing. When the Chief Larson days had finished, The Sundots era began. After performing in Detroit and releasing their independent debut album "Animals" and the "Tails EP" of B-sides, The Sundots moved to New York City to play the local venue scene there. They performed at The Bowery Electric, The Bitter End, The Cutting Room, Arlene's Grocery, and Heaven Can Wait, among others.  The flowers chosen for the album titles are symbolic in nature, as the root of polemonium in Greek is "polemos", meaning 'war", and the root of agapanthus is "agapi", meaning "love". Several of the songs' subject matter involve floral imagery or take inspiration from the natural world, but that doesn't limit the sonic flavors that The Sundots explore in their albums. The tour-de-force of songs put forth in the album are a kaleidoscopic melting pot of their influences, each with their own distinct character, without compromising their unique musical style. They have also recently released their Sundot Bops playlist of all their singles and most alluring beats.

The Sundots

Instagram: @thesundots

Linktree: The Sundots

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