New York indie trio Sunflower Bean have released their final single, “There’s a Part I Can’t Get Back,” ahead of their forthcoming album Mortal Primetime, out Friday, April 25 via Lucky Number. The track is a stark, emotionally charged piece led by vocalist/bassist Julia Cumming, confronting themes of grooming and the long-term psychological impact of trauma.
Written with direct intent, the song stands apart from the more expansive, dreamy textures of earlier singles “Champagne Taste” and “Nothing Romantic.” Instead, it leans into a raw, restrained intensity. Cumming delivers the vocal with clarity and focus, supported by a subtle arrangement that allows the lyrics to take precedence. A stripped-down visual, directed by Harv Frost, features the band united in solidarity, underlining the song’s personal and collective weight.
Cumming says she wrote the song without second-guessing: “I didn’t want to write a song about being healed — I wanted to be angry about needing to heal at all.” The line “If I die before I wake, I pray the Lord lets me get even first” anchors the track’s message, articulating the lingering effects of unresolved experiences.
Mortal Primetime marks Sunflower Bean’s fourth studio album and their first self-produced work. Created following a period of personal upheaval and temporary separation between band members, the record represents a renewed commitment to their shared creative direction. Engineered by Sarah Tudzin (boygenius, Illuminati Hotties) and mixed by Caesar Edmunds (Wet Leg, The Killers), the album draws influence from alternative rock and polished psychedelia, offering a refined yet powerful sound.
To support the release, Sunflower Bean will return to the UK for a short in-store and headline tour next week, including stops at Rough Trade East, Resident Brighton, and venues in Leeds and Liverpool. A US headline tour follows in May, with dates through June.
Mortal Primetime is out April 25.
More info and tour tickets: sunflowerbeanband.com
