After releasing their debut full length album “Human Ceremony” in early 2016, Brooklyn psych rockers Sunflower Bean (who graced the cover of The Deli's 40th issue back in 2014) dropped a four song EP towards the end of that same year. Featuring cover versions of four distinct artists, “From the Basement” serves as homage to the bands diverse influences. “Old World” finds Nick Kivlen impressively channeling Jonathan Richman’s vocal phrasing and attitude on that Modern Lovers classic. A keyboard part find its way into the band's three-piece sound, a very necessary addition in this circumstance. The country waltz of Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” (also featuring an organ part, streaming below) benefits from Julia Cummings sweet voice, the way Joni Mitchell might have interpreted it in the 1970’s. “Shine A Light” captures the floating in a dream vibe Spiritualized is known for, while T Rex’s “Life’s A Gas” is turned around by another Julia vocal. Sunflower Bean will play a number of key festivals soon and support the PIXIES on tour including local shows on 9/22 in Westbury and 9/23 in Asbury Park. - Dave Cromwell

Halloween weekend technically kicked off yesterday, but in the spirit of keeping the party going, make sure you drop by the early set at Analog Cafe tonight. Presale tickets may not be available anymore, but seeing locals Shannon Entropy with New York's Sunflower Bean and the Lemon Twigs is worth the $12 door price.

Things are kicking off early with doors at 6pm, but try not to miss Shannon Entropy's indie meets psych-hop set. Their atypical approach to sonance was first shared with the world earlier this year through their debut The Tamale EP, which also helped them win one of our Artist of the Month polls back in September.

Shannon Entropy is truly unlike any other indie act in town so it makes sense they were asked to open for the poppy glam rock of the Lemon Twigs and bedroom rock of Sunflower Bean. It'll be a lively evening performance worth checking out.

We are glad to see our CMJ 2014 babies Sunflower Bean take things to the next level in 2016: they just announced the February release of their debut album 'Human Ceremony' on Fat Possum, and a tour spanning two continents (Europe and the US) and two and a half month, also starting in February (the NYC stop is at Bowery Ballroom on 02.25). Check out their album's preview single "Easier Said," which sees dreamyness and poppiness back into their often more muscolar psychedelic sound.

After gracing the cover of our 2014 Fall/CMJ issue, Sunflower Bean went on to become one of the most buzzworthy emerging NYC bands. Their solid live show helped them land opening slots for the likes of DIIV, Best Coast, and Wolf Alice among others (they'll be tourin gthe UK this month with The Vaccines and Palma Violets). The trio's psych rock finds its main inspiration in the early, bluesy days of that genre, but with new single "Wall Watcher" (streaming), the band updates that sound through a more concise production, featuring guitar sounds and vocal melodies that transcend the '60s. The band will celebrate the release of their debut LP "Human Ceremony" at Bowery Ballroom on February 25th, a few weeks before embarking for the SXSW festival. - Photo by Crista Simiriglia.

Last year we featured heavily trippy psych rockers Sunflower Bean on the (uber-psychedelic) cover of The Deli NYC's Fall/CMJ 2014 issue - always one of the most read issues of the year - so we are pumped to hear that they will be embarking on a 23 date North American tour with DIIV this fall. The band recently released single 'I Hear Voices' through Fat Possum Records, and just unveiled this mind bending video for it. The NYC date is on November 8 at Webster Hall, be there!