Album Notes

Sunmay's debut, "You Can Make Beautiful Things," defies easy categorization. Full of the understated sparseness of old country folk, it is woven throughout with pure pop sensibility and lush orchestration. The record showcases Sunmay's split affinity for acoustic purity and electronic experimentation.
From the invisibility of Meek's layered production to Pugh's melodic and intuitive guitar, Sunmay's first obligation is to the song, each element added with intention. Dubbed "a storyteller in the purest sense" and "the latest folk savior to watch" (Albuquerque Weekly), Bartley writes intelligent, intimate, and stunningly poetic songs. Her voice, compared to Beth Orton (Seattle Weekly) and Natalie Merchant (Willamette Week), is
gorgeous and sincere, as she entwines her snapshot stories into the rootsy, ethereal sounds she creates with Pugh and Scheen. Bartley and Pugh began playing music together in her attic apartment in late 2000. They soon enlisted upright bassist Andy Scheen to join them for local performances. Pugh and Scheen had been friends since their teens and had formed Seattle band, Swallow, in the late 80s, releasing two records on Subpop.
Sunmay recorded 14 songs during a weekend in January at the studio of friend, Colm Meek. After listening back to the recording, Meek encouraged them to work on a full release. Over the next few months, with Meek and several friends, including, Mark Ekert (Heliotroupe), Scott Vanderpool (Chemistry Set, Room Nine), and Red Diamond, Sunmay completed the 11 songs that make up "You Can Make Beautiful Things".
In addition to their work with Sunmay, Pugh makes up a third of technodownbeaters, saba, and Scheen performs in a big band. Bartley has released three full-length solo recordings. (www.deborahbartley.com)
You Can Make Beautiful Things is Sunmay's first release.