ALBUM REVIEW: In A Dream – Suntitle

Following on from two rip-roaring EPs – 2018’s The Loss Of and 2020’s Pure Forever – New Jersey alternative emo outfit SUNTITLE have finally dropped their debut album In A Dream. The record serves up ten emotionally-charged three-minute blasts of alternative rock brimming with spacey guitars, driving bass, and fierce drum work. 

Opener Impermanence sets the tone for what we can expect from the instruments on this record, as an emotive lead guitar dances over waves of heavily distorted chords. It leads into the band’s strongest single, Burning Down A Denny’s, in which frontman Joseph McGarvey demonstrates his ability to pen sing-along choruses. The way the pop-punk guitars interplay with the layered vocals sets this one apart as one of the best written songs on the album. Royal Blue is another pop-tinged track that invites sing-alongs with an infectious main melody. Shouts and screams on the bridge add some punky texture, helping it stand out among the more radio-friendly cuts on the LP. Tate Mercer’s production shines on this one too.

McGarvey sounds especially fired up on Selfish, a pointed attack that starts with the savage opening lines “you’re such fucking asshole/that’s why you’ll always be alone”. The delivery certainly helps sell the feeling of anger on this track, and it leads nicely into Hole, which features one of the strongest melodies and vocal performances on the record. The CITIZEN influence is strong here.

In A Dream’s highlight is the one-two punch of Mile Marker and Heaven’s Gate. Both tracks deal with themes of loss, with heart-wrenching lyrics that are sure to hit home for anyone who has been parted with a loved one too early. These tracks highlight McGarvey’s empathetic storytelling as the difficult subject matter is handled with tact and free of schmaltz.

Not wanting to dwell too long on the melancholy however, Sway kicks things back into full alt-rock mode. The penultimate track Somo is one of the most dynamic tracks, switching between calm passages and explosions of muscular guitar hooks. Anthemic but not overwrought, this track is an excellent distillation of the various sounds that coalesce on this record.

Church Bells closes the album on an unexpectedly bright note, with the ethereal organ backing bringing a hopeful closing to the dream. This highlights one of SUNTITLE‘s biggest strengths: despite fitting neatly into the new-wave of emo bands (the likes of BASEMENT, TURNOVER etc.), they never sound melodramatic and are more than willing to contrast the darker material with lightness. As a result, while not ground-breaking, In A Dream makes for a solid listen and a promising debut.

Rating: 7/10

In A Dream is set for release on November 12th via Know Hope Records.

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