27 OctOber 5–11, 2023 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Shining Loudly Sunny Disposition make a lot of noise for three people. BY CARLY MAY GRAVLEY W hen Sunny Marcell, Josh Smith and Si- mon Correa tell the story of their band, indie dream pop-punk trio Sunny Dis- position, words like “fate” get thrown around a lot. “You never know where a random karaoke night will lead you,” Correa, the band’s drummer, says of their serendipi- tous origins. Correa met singer and bassist Marcell at a karaoke night she was hosting in August 2018. “She was hosting karaoke every Wednesday, and I would go over there and get super drunk and we would sing Mariah Carey together,” Correa says. After learning from one of her business cards that Mar- cell was also a bass player, he invited her over to jam with him and his friend and guitarist, Smith. “‘What are you doing next week?’ turned into the week af- ter that and so on,” Marcell says of the band’s instant connec- tion. Correa and Smith had known each other since junior high, but hadn’t played together in a while. Besides her bass, Marcell brought to the table a creative energy that instantly gelled with the guys. They quickly established themselves as a power trio and have since become a fixture in the local music scene. And these aren’t just our words; Sunny Disposition re- fer to themselves as a power trio. “We make a lot of noise for three people,” says Marcell. “You get two singers,” says Correa. “And these two sing- ers, Sunny and Josh, have two different registers and two different types of voices. But they fit together nicely when they sing together. It’s one of my favorite parts of this band.” On the topic of sharing vocal responsibilities, Smith says, “It’s nice to be able to step away from the mic for a little while and ...” “And shred,” Marcell says, finishing his sentence. The band’s chemistry is so innate that none of our pre- pared questions were used over the course of this interview. They managed to bounce off each other and provide jokes, insight and anecdotes almost free of prompting. It felt like sitting in on a sitcom. “We’ve been having fun from day one,” Correa says of the group’s effortless dynamic. The band’s history also feels straight out of a TV show, starting with their charmingly di- sastrous first show. “I was still recovering from a car accident so I was sitting down that whole show,” says Marcell. “I thought at first she might have just needed a smaller bass,” Correa adds. “It’s so heavy and she’s so tiny.” “Now here I am,” Marcell says with a laugh. “Doing all sorts of ridiculous things.” They quickly recovered — Marcell from her injuries and the band as a whole from the bad experience — and now they frequently perform at venues across North Texas. But Six Springs Tavern in Richardson is their home base. “We always sound great and have so much space,” says Correa. “And they always treat us so well,” Smith adds. Six Springs is also where Sunny Disposition opened for Pearl Earl last week. Marcell refers to it as a reunion show. “I used to play in a band with Chelsea Danielle and I used to know the other girls from Pearl Earl from my Denton days,” she says. “In fact, I used to work at the School of Rock with one of the girls’ ex-boyfriends. It goes deep.” Marcell looks back on Velvet Army, her band with Danielle, fondly. “Velvet Army had a lot of strong players. Lydia Lowe. Poppy Xander. Ellie Meyer. That was a fun time and I miss my Velvet Army girls. That’s why I wrote (the Sunny Disposition song) ‘Rooftops.’ It’s kind of my ode to Velvet Army.” “I have met a lot of really awesome people because I do music. I’m just going to say it,” she continues. “My idols know my name.” She talks about a time a few years back when she got to perform with punk band Alkaline Trio and how one of the highlights of the event was hanging out and making casual conversation with a band she’d idolized since she was 12 years old. “I like being on that personal level with people I look up to,” Marcell says. “It’s cool that my idols aren’t jerks.” As for the future of the band, the members say releasing an album is the next big milestone. “I’d really like to make a full-fledged album,” says Smith. “Maybe 10 songs.” “We could do 12,” Marcell adds. “I want to make an actual LP. Like, a vinyl record,” Smith continues. “Something physical that I can hold. I want to show it to my kids one day and say ‘Look what your dad did!’” Many of Sunny Disposition’s goals are within their reach, from the album to potentially breaking into touring, with their first out-of-town show in San Marcos scheduled for December. No matter what’s next for them, though, the entire band feels grateful to be able to make music with their best friends. “They bring out the best in me,” Correa says of his band- mates. “They bring out the best in everyone around.” Carly May Gravley Josh Smith, Sunny Marcell and Simon Correa are Sunny Disposition. ▼ Music www.dallasobserver.com/signup go to WEEKLY EMAIL D SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY EMAIL LIST for feature stories, movie reviews, calendar picks and more!
