I just heard that Minneapolis’s own Radio K will be recording a live broadcast with one of my favorite Austin bands SUNSET this spring at the SXSW Music Conference in the band’s hometown. I am not sure if Bill Baird’s project is still under the radar, totally hyped, or last year’s news. Regardless, they are good. They touch on influences from pretty much every decade since the 1960s but still sound remarkably fresh. In the same vein as Of Montreal (but sounding completely different) SUNSET produces experimental, art-pop that is still completely accessible to the unpretentious ear (i.e. hipsters don’t have to just pretend to like them). “When Perfect Flames Expire” sounds to me like Lou Reed woke up with a junkie hangover and drafted Andrew Bird, Zach Condon, and Nico to help him express his disgust. Of course the beauty of Sunset is that assessment is completely wrong because they don’t really sound like anyone else at all.

SUNSET “When Perfect Flames Expire” (mp3)

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