Darren Sullivan

Darren Sullivan’s Bougainvillea feels like a rare breed in an era where so much popular music is airbrushed into oblivion. There’s an unmistakable live energy coursing through the album, the kind that can only come from a group of musicians in a room, feeding off each other’s instincts. It’s not chasing trends or trying to reinvent the wheel—just a band locked into a groove, letting guitars, bass, and drums do what they do best. That raw, unfiltered approach is a big part of what makes Bougainvillea so refreshing.
Sullivan and company aren’t out to break new ground, but the songs hit with an undeniable warmth. There’s a looseness to the playing, a jam-like quality that never feels indulgent, anchored by sharp melodies and unexpected turns. The album kicks off with “Part of the Flow,” a feverish opener that barely takes a breath—so fast it almost feels like it’s about to run off the rails. The drummer deserves a nod here, setting a relentless pace while the vocals add a Guided By Voices-style urgency that keeps pulling you back.
“Feeling All Grown” is another standout, radiating a hazy, flower-power optimism that feels plucked straight from the ‘60s without leaning into nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. Then there’s “Hesitation Blues,” which locks into a mesmerizing groove that could easily fit into a Broken Social Scene setlist—loose, sprawling, yet completely locked in. These are just a few of the album’s high points, but Bougainvillea is full of small, unpolished moments that make it feel alive. It’s the kind of record that reminds you how good it feels to hear real musicians in a room, chasing a sound that’s completely their own.
