Sun Atoms premiere new Leonard Cohen cover ahead of tour dates.

Photos by Erik Meharry

Portland alternative pop / postmodern rock outfit Sun Atoms presents a unique fuzzed-out tribute to iconic songwriter Leonard Cohen with Tower of Song (in the key of JAMC)’, released as the flipside of their new ‘Ceiling Tiles’ single.

Released via Little Cloud Records digitally and on 7″ vinyl and mixed by the iconic Jagz Kooner (Massive Attack, Primal Scream, Oasis, Garbage), this single is the first taste of the band’s sophomore album (out ths summer). The accompanying video, produced by Bradley Tuazon, follows ghosts on a velvety caper through an endless maze through streets and a 113,000+ square foot state-of-the-art concert venue, the band members appearing like rare birds in the roles of madcap non-conformist odd fellows living outside of the lines.

Sun Atoms is made up of bassist Peter G. Holmström (The Dandy WarholsPete International Airport), vocalist Jsun Atoms (The Upsidedown, Daydream Machine), multi-instrumentalist June Kang, Mars de Ponte (LoveBomb Go-Go), L.A. drummer Eric Rubalcava and Boise native Derek Spencer Longoria-Gomez (Hi Hazel). 

2021 brought the band’s debut album ‘Let There Be Light’, also produced by Holmström and mixed by the iconic Stephen Street (Blur, The Smiths, The Cranberries), involving performances by the likes of The Vandelles’ Jasno SwarezThe Black Angels’ Alex Maas and Gregg Williams (Sheryl Crow, Blitzen Trapper).

“When I was a child, I saw a being made of light climb through my bedroom window, they stood at the foot of my bed and reached out to touch my foot,” explains Jsun Atoms. “Mesmerizing and haunting, much like the new Sun Atoms single ‘Ceiling Tiles’, which reveals a story of characters living under a faux sky being manipulated to make it appear that the stars are aligning, when in fact, above this tiled Truman Show, the stars are doing just that. The characters in the song go about their day-to-day dance while the globe they are spinning on becomes an eye.”

Sun Atoms kicked off 2024 by playing three sold-out shows at Portland’s historic Revolution Hall, opening for Dinosaur Jr., which presented the perfect chance to shoot their new video. With its long stairways and iconic brick facade as the ideal backdrop for this monochromatic video, here unfolds a mysterious tale of characters living between worlds and connected by Jean Cocteau’s famously mirrored portal.

Sun Atoms has also played shows with Modest Mouse, Fishbone, Besnard Lakes, The Veldt and New Candys, as well as performing at Seattle’s Freakout Fest and Portland’s Lose Yr Mind Fest with Allah Las, Broncho and Night Beats. 

The ‘Ceiling Tiles’ single is available on beautiful 7″ vinyl and from fine digital platforms, including Apple MusicSpotify and Bandcamp. Sun Atoms are touring the West Coast in March-April, kicking off with Treefort Festival, where they join Ty Segall, A Place To Bury Strangers, Neko Case and Built To Spill. Tickets for this tour are now available to order.

TOUR DATES
March 23  BOISE, ID – Treefort Festival, In-store at Record Exchange
March 24  BOISE, ID – Treefort Festival, Shrine Social Club
March 25  SACRAMENTO, CA – Old Ironsides
March 27  LAS VEGAS, NV – The Usual Place
March 28  LOS ANGELES, CA – The Moroccan Lounge
March 29  PIONEERTOWN, CA – Red Dog Saloon
March 30  SAN FRANSCISCO, CA – Kilowatt
April 5  PORTLAND, Oregon – Star Theater
April 6 – SEATTLE, WA – Seagaze Festival, Tractor Tavern Seattle

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Shauna at Shameless Promotion PR.]