The difficult second album – one of music’s greatest cliches. So many bands have excelled on their debut before falling at the second hurdle, producing an album full of repeated numbers, of drab and dribble. Sundara Karma’s second attempt is adventurous and bold however, the youthful cotton-candy indie pop of their debut has morphed into a more mature, experimental beast, but it’s not without its faults.
If Youth is Only Ever Fun in Retrospect was a look back on the past, Ulfila’s Alphabet is a vision of the future, with a focus on the environment and tales of fantasy characters and extraterrastrial creatures, all accompanied by sci-fi sounds that drive the album forward. The anthemic choruses that made us fall in love with them on Youth… appear in parts, but overall a focus on pummelling, bombastic instrumentals sees a newer side to Sundara. This occasionally becomes their downfall however, songs dragging on and becoming directionless, the conciseness of their debut has been lost. Meanwhile, the story-telling and clever wordplay from Youth… is harder to discern here. Oscar’s vocal is more distorted, he’s less clear in his delivery and their knack for narrating tales of love, loss and youthfulness is swapped for more complex tropes – it’s much harder to read into these songs and extract solid meaning, many seeming to be works of fiction rather than personal tales.
You do have to admire their bravery however. This album is more experimental and daring than the debut. Their earlier tunes may have been easier to warm to, but these songs demonstrate Sundara Karma have plenty left in the tank to evolve and expand as their career goes on.
Haiku Review
Songs sometimes drag on,
But they are adventurous,
Bold and interesting
🍒🍒🍒
