Sun Hoax
Biome Digs EP / Full Joy EP
Self-Released [2014]
Fire Note Says: Sun Hoax is the latest offering from lo-fi auteur Dean Wells.
Album Review: Dean Wells is the lo-fi wizard behind The Capstan Shafts, and if you haven’t heard any of their recordings, I’m going to need you to rectify that as soon as possible. Wells specializes in high octane lo fi pop gems, that I always compare to if Tobin Sprout was the full time lead singer for Guided By Voices. That’s really the easiest way to describe his music, and it’s a little lazy perhaps to say that, but it gives you as a potential fan a good idea of what this is going to sound like. Sun Hoax is the latest project from Wells, following last year’s Rare High, who released an album and a series of eps, and Loud Springs, who released a few eps the year before. This is becoming an annual event from Wells, a new year, a new set of excellent songs, and a low key release with no fanfare or advance warning. Sun Hoax just seemed to appear out of the blue one day!
Biome Digs, clocks in at 3 songs and around 4 minutes, so it’s pretty obvious what you are getting, fast pop songs, that get in and get out before you know what hit you. All three songs, “Biome Digs”, “Reasonably Jinx Street” and “Sabbath Raspberries”, are stellar cuts. Heck I have already heard them all in the time I have spent typing this paragraph, and I am about to start it over from the beginning and go again before I talk about Full Joy. Of the two eps, Full Joy, is a bit more polished and refined. The title track lays off the throttle just a bit, and that really makes it a standout track. Man, “Western Pivot “more than makes up for it though, it’s a full blown rock assault on the old earhole. This is the good stuff, the sound that could launch a thousand lo-fi auteurs if they would get a chance to hear this!
At only 8 minutes in length, these two eps, can be thought of as a single 7” release if you really wanted to. I think of classics like The Grand Hour or Tigerbomb when I play these two eps back to back. If you love the old school lo-fi mid 90’s sound as much as I do, go to Bandcamp and download these two eps. These are a fine introduction into the wild world of Dean Wells. After you have a handle on these, go dig into his Capstan Shafts and Rare High recordings, you have a veritable treasure trove that is awaiting you to discover it!
Key Tracks: “Full Joy” / “Western Pivot” / “Biome Digs”
Artists With Similar Fire: Guided By Voices / The Capstan Shafts / Sebadoh
Sun Hoax Website
– Reviewed by Kevin Poindexter
Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, I am extremely proud of the area I grew up in and the influence it has had on the world at large, from the Wright Brothers to Robert Pollard, the area has been a center of innovation both technologically and artistically. During my college years at the University of Dayton, I found myself becoming more and more immersed in the local music scene, a period of time in the early to mid 90's that coincided with the rise of bands like Guided by Voices, Brainiac, and The Breeders, who added to the rich musical legacy of the area. Dayton is also the hometown of many giants of funk in the 70's and is also the birthplace of Jazz greats Billy Strayhorn, John Scofield and Bud Shank. I wrote extensively for The Fire Note, a great online magazine focused on indie rock, in the 2010's while simultaneously being a partner in Rockathon Records, before retiring from both in 2018. In 2024, my thoughts turned back to helping at Rockathon and more importantly to pick back up on my writing, and more specifically to write about my love of jazz. I'm always listening, always searching for something new, something great. It's been a lifelong journey, and I still feel like there is so much out there to hear.
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
Thanks for this review! Do you know where I can find Sun Hoax? Cannot find it on bandcamp. I’m a real fan of Dean Wells and disappointed I cannot find anything out there other than your review. Thanks.
Sorry we don’t. At one time it was only available on Bandcamp which has sadly been deleted.