Sun Wizard Lights Up With Positively 4th Avenue

Newly formed two years ago, Sun Wizard bills itself as your favorite rock band when you were in high school, back when the world was a little bigger and everything you touched was a bit more golden. But there seems to be more to this four-member band from Vancouver, British Columbia.

Their new album, which was released with the help of Light Organ Records, features ten tracks of melodic rock with big guitar riffs and right light harmonies from two talented singers. On the whole, it is also a much stronger sound than the EP they put out in 2009 (Maybe They Were Right) and the digital 45 (Quick Acting Cold) that they put out in December.

Positively 4th Avenue adds a deeper indie sound, sometimes.

Certainly, some of the album has an easygoing, late Seventies indie rock vibe that fits the image of the band. But their best work breaks away from the overly light musings and adds more power to their timeless pop rock. Some people might not even hear the full potential with the band's first video featuring World's Got A Handle, but this is a fine start.



While the World's Got A Handle is light and wistful, gravitate toward their folk-infused Middle Of My Heart, the uptempo Sick of Waiting, and the more dynamic light lament within Buildings for a better feel for this up-and-coming band from Canada. And if you listen or download one song, make it Golden Girl.

While it is clearly one of the more vintage-sounding songs, every element inside the arrangement of Golden Girl is perfectly executed from start to finish. Perfect enough to keep it in heavy rotation longer than any other track. It delivers precisely what the band wants.

"Basically, our main thing is making well produced, timeless pop/rock songs that get people stoked and have the potential to be radio singles," said James Younger (guitar/vocals) after the release of their first EP. "But we're also ready to take our music out of Vancouver and onto the open road, to search for a life without beds, and for girls without boyfriends."

Although the band is new, it has roots that predate 2009. During the summer of 2008 three of the members, Younger along with Malcolm Jack (guitar/vocals) and Frank Lyon (bass), played an impromptu session on Vancouver Island. Immediately after, Younger and Jack started writing lyrics in preparation for a spring reunion. It was also about that time they added Ben Frey (drums) and officially became a band.

Positively 4th Avenue By Sun Wizard Lights Up At 3.2 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

The album does have some weak spots. I'd even suggest skipping Safe And Sound, Sour Note, Too Much On Your Mind, and Little Less In Control. But that doesn't necessarily mean that the album isn't a promising start. The best this band can do is keep doing what they are doing, especially if they do more like Golden Girl.

You can find Positively 4th Avenue by Sun Wizard on iTunes. Amazon currently has an audio import of Positively 4th Avenue, but it has yet to be added at the store.