Last Saturday morning, instead of laying in bed until noon to sleep off the previous night’s shenanigans, I trekked through the rain to a Kissam practice room. There, I met with seniors Mary Nevins, Harrison Cates and Ross Clements, aka Sun Queen.

In sharp contrast to the dismal weather and austere Kissam basement, Sun Queen’s music is bright, lush, wondrous and beautiful. Nevins’ voice ranges from smokey and hushed to a falsetto reaching towards the top of the Bronson tower. Cates and Clemens’ (bassist and drummer, respectively) lock into each others’ grooves and deftly accenting them, providing the perfect backdrop for Nevins’ swirling guitars and clarion vocals.

Prior to their set, Nevins hung a single strand of string lights around the room to brighten up the rather harsh environment. If your day sounds a little bit like that, let Sun Queen be that strand of lights for you. Check out their most recent EP Electric Galaxy or their show on Saturday, Jan. 26 (Cates will also have a solo set).

Set List

The Landing

Orbit

Sun Queen