Sunday in Heaven

Singer Zella Day transforms into a glitter-laden, 70s-inspired pop diva on 2022s Sunday in Heaven. Blessed with a velvety, cherubic voice as well as a knack for memorable hooks, Day is a distinctive presence on the modern pop landscape — spiritually connected to artists like Lorde and Lana Del Rey (the latter of whom she toured with in 2018), but with a sound all her own. Its a style that made her 2015 major-label debut Kicker a refreshing surprise, and she brought into even sharper focus on her 2020 EP with the Black Keys Dan Auerbach, Where Does the Devil Hide. Sunday in Heaven was produced by Jay Joyce, who is known for his wide-ranging work with artists like Emmylou Harris, Cage the Elephant, and Little Big Town. Also producing are longtime Day associate John Velasquez, and Alex Casnoff, who has worked with Dawes and Sparks, among others. Together, Day and her collaborators embrace a vibrantly analog aesthetic that brings to mind the post-glam rock, pre-new wave sound of artists like Electric Light Orchestra, Kate Bush, and the aforementioned Sparks. An Arizona native, Day even leans into some of her country roots, punctuating her vocals with just a smidge of throaty, Dolly Parton-esque twang. Its an enticing swirl of influences, magically straddling several genres the way Olivia Newton-John did with country, disco, and adult-contemporary in the late 70s. Infectious cuts like "Mushroom Punch," "Am I Still Your Baby," and the clubby "Golden" recall the sonically adventurous productions of the Bee Gees, but still feel utterly contemporary. Similarly, the mid-album "Radio Silence" is a dynamic, psych-goth anthem that conjures the raging alt-rock spirit of The Lion and the Cobra-era Sinead OConnor. ~ Matt Collar