Track of the Week: Hutch break out the heatwaves on ‘Mrs Sunshine’
Can you actually believe that this is the one millionth day of January 2026? Me neither – it feels longer. More than ever, we’re in desperate need of something to come along and blast away the winter blues.
And while a trip to the supermarket to buy some much-needed Vitamin D supplements may be calling, in the meantime, the serotonin can be buoyed up by Brighton band Hutch, who have returned with their latest single, ‘Mrs Sunshine’. As you can probably pick up from the name, there’s no room for sub-zero storm clouds here.
In a way, the seaside landscape of the band’s hometown is as pertinent as it ever has been on this song. Put simply, ‘Mrs Sunshine’ is unremittingly up – and although the indie canon can be blindsided by this from time to time, there’s no denying the fact that this is an elixir of happiness we all most definitely need.
As the kaleidoscopes spin and the hot air gives way to a haze, the first thing that springs to mind in terms of a sonic par is a song like ‘Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds’ by The Beatles. That might seem like a bit of a plain comparison simply by pointing out the shared psychedelia, but there’s something beguiling within the heart of its zesty midst that feels like a true burst of flavour.
From the first moment, bubbly riffs lift you into the track and introduce you to the world of the titular ‘Mrs Sunshine’, the instant appreciation of this effervescent, all-encompassing figure is clear for everyone to see. Indeed, much like the sunshine itself, she is almost too blinding to look at directly, and yet people flock out to worship her all the same.
Such a seemingly simple lyrical narrative is captivating in this context, not least because it hails from a space of summertime which we are all so viciously craving. Dare I say, can I even hear an air of Oasis in there? It’s not necessarily because the Britpop brothers are known for their joyous tendencies, yet the vocal inflections are so reminiscent of something classic – but then again, that might just be the pronunciation of “sunshine”.
Hutch have been vocal on the fact that a song like ‘Mrs Sunshine’ is just meant to be a quintessential beam of positivity: nothing more, nothing less. It’s undeniably a straightforward mantra, but it’s still one that the music world has frankly been crying out for, taking a break from heartbreaking memories and contrived notions to just sit for a second with something that is pure fun in a bottle.
Of course, you can hark back to psychedelic and surf bands all you like, because the manifestations of The Beach Boys and The Beatles are more than apparent, but at the same time, it would do Hutch a great disservice to say they are simply protégés. This is a band in the process of reviving a classic sound, but doing it in their own delectable style.
That searing summer heat may seem a long way off from the point in the year we find ourselves now, but ‘Mrs Sunshine’ acts as the chalice to keep our faces in the light and not submerge into a dirge of darkness. In many ways, that’s all a band can ever ask for, because that level of warmth and indulgence is never going to turn people away.
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