If you were to look at the streaming profile of Sundaes, you may (understandably) assume that their body of work only goes as far back as 2022. Looking at their Bandcamp, you can see that this is untrue! They’ve been releasing music since at least 2017. Curating your profile on a given platform isn’t a bad idea (no shade to Sundaes for being selective with their own work) but it is unfortunate not to have the full context for new work as it is released.

The latest track, “Anyway,” is the lead single from a forthcoming album entitled call me when you get there. It’s a mixture of twinkling slowcore guitars, breathy and hushed vocals, layers of flourishes and, most importantly, a heartfelt refrain. That refrain ebbs and flows between feeling like an emotional release and a panged inner monologue. The song lets itself expand and wander; after listening to it a handful of times I already find myself wanting a ten minute version.

Stylistically, we’ll have to wait to see what call me when you get there has in store for us but looking at Sundae’s history, it’s likely to be a surprising evolution. Every release along – from the crooning original EP, the dance-y, vocoder driven, Volume 1 or the country-twinged dream pop of Boys Who Made Me Cry – has delivered diverse sonic explorations and vulnerable lyricism. Looking forward to more.

If you’re lucky enough to experience it, you’ll notice that all things come in cycles. Fashion is the easiest to spot but it certainly happens in music as well. The late 80s were filled with hair metal bands, kids loving Led Zeppelin and tie-dyed shirts from Wal-mart. When grunge broke through commercially, it was part of a bubbling movement that had been happening for years as a reaction against that nostalgia. Bands like Green River, The Melvins and Soundgarden created a blend of dissonant, (often) angular and aggressive sounds that carved a path that defined the next decade. When Nirvana broke through to take the crown of the genre, the floodgates opened. Here in 2024 we can see that influence making its rounds again – grunge is all around us! You can buy a Nirvana shirt at Wal-mart no problem. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just part of the cycle of pop culture.

One golden opportunity that arises with this cycle of popularity is that it opens the door to discover old releases that sound like they could be new releases. For instance, fire up The Monkey Tape, a five song cassette release from 1993 and the debut of Jerry Campbell’s band Spider Virus and you’ll find dissonant vibes, angular guitars and aggressive, always-pushing-forward songs. If this popped up on your Spotify “Discover Weekly” playlist, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a modern band influenced by the early grunge movement. Aside from a few tell-tell songs in the production, these songs have a confidence in their presentation that makes them enjoyable across decades of time.

There’s no telling if Spider Virus was directly influenced by Nirvana (or any of their ilk) but The Monkey Tape is an excellent listen even today, 31 years after it’s initial release.