Album Review: ‘In the Darkness of My Night’ by Sunshine & the Rain

4.5 stars out of 5

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When I first saw Sunshine & the Rain in 2015, they looked pretty familiar. Just a year earlier, I’d attended the final concert by the previous band the duo had played in, the Black Hollies. But this was something new and energizing: a stripped-down, Jesus & Mary Chain-esque rush of rock from Jersey City married couple Justin and Ashley Morey and the most kick-ass drum machine in the business.

Two years later, we get their debut full-length, and it’s one of the best rock-and-roll albums I’ve heard in a long while.

For this effort on the well-regarded Ernest Jennings label, SATR seemingly stacked the deck. Jon “Blues Explosion” Spencer producing? Why not! The pair fleshed out their live sound with a dash of keyboards and — gasp! — some actual percussion. And they recorded at Sonic Youth’s Echo Canyon West studio right here in Hoboken. (How have I lived here since 1994 not knowing that SY had a studio in town? What happened to Murray Street? Kim and Thurston, patch things up, we need you! I digress.)

Despite the fancy trimmings, SATR stay true to their raw sound on the LP. The set kicks off, appropriately, with “Let’s Go,” a propulsive blast of guitar, bass, beats, and Ashley’s sweet-but-tough vocals. And just when you think you’ve got things figured out, some happy chimes show up. When the song ends, you barely get a second to rest. Ash counts off “1, 2, 3!”, there’s an echoey effect, and we’re off to the races again with “Little Rag Doll,” a catchy ode to fresh obsession with shouty background vocals.

In “I’m Not Your Girl,” the verses recall the Undertones’ classic “Teenage Kicks,” but the choruses are pure Sunshine & the Rain. They slightly switch gears in “Come On Baby,” which has more of a 60s girl-group feel, complete with a “Be My Baby” Spector beat — and a hint of “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” thrown in for good measure. Side one concludes with a cover of Fugazi’s “Merchandise,” as Justin strangles cool noises out of his guitar.

Side two opener “So Far So Close” slows things down just enough to highlight the strength of the melody. There’s twanging guitar, whispered backing vocals, and then, two thirds of the way through, the percussion briefly vanishes for a very cool moment. “Going the Wrong Way” features a — dare I call it tasty? maybe I shouldn’t! but it is! — guitar solo from Justin.

After revving things up once more on “Take Me Out Again,” the band revisits their 2015 debut 7″, “Can’t Stop Thinking About You.” It’s much cleaner sounding this time around, with new talk-sing backing vocals from Justin. The result is a creepy fuzzed-out gem. On album closer “In a Dream,” Ashley delivers a softer vocal, lending the track a shoegazey vibe.

Throughout, Spencer leaves the scuzz and blemishes in the mix and it totally works: We feel like we’re in the studio too, bopping along to the session as it happens. In the Darkness of My Night has a consistency of sound and spirit that’s something to behold; you just want to listen over and over.