B-Side Guys

Childhood bedrooms hold different secrets depending on who’s remembering. Sun Scene’s radical reimagining of the Beach Boys’ 1963 classic “In My Room” transforms Brian Wilson’s introspective sanctuary into something warmer, stranger, and infinitely more complex. Producer Austin Mendenhall and vocalist Tiff Ortiz have created what they describe as turning the song “on its head,” though their approach feels more like careful architectural renovation than demolition.

Mendenhall’s production choices demonstrate remarkable intuition about which elements of the original to preserve versus completely reconstruct. Rather than simply updating the arrangement, he’s created an entirely different sonic universe while maintaining the harmonic DNA that made Wilson’s composition timeless. His use of distorted fuzz tones and orchestral recordings run through guitar pedals creates the kind of textural depth that makes familiar melodies feel like new discoveries.

Ortiz’s vocal performance showcases exactly why Mendenhall was drawn to her layered, lush harmonizing abilities. Her approach honors the song’s gorgeous harmonic movement while bringing contemporary indie pop sensibilities that feel natural rather than forced. The collaboration, which began during 2020’s lockdown when Mendenhall sent instrumental ideas to Ortiz, demonstrates how remote creative partnerships can produce deeply intimate results.

What makes this cover particularly successful is the duo’s understanding that Wilson’s original represented his venture into “more serious subjects and musical ideas.” Rather than treating it as nostalgic surf-pop relic, they recognize the psychological complexity underneath its deceptively simple structure. Their version creates what Mendenhall describes as “a warm, safe place,” but one that acknowledges the complicated emotions that make sanctuary necessary.

The choice to tackle this particular Beach Boys song rather than more obvious candidates like “God Only Knows” shows artistic wisdom—finding the track with minimal original production that leaves “a lot more to imagine.” Sun Scene has imagined generously, creating something that works both as tribute to Wilson’s songwriting genius and as statement of their own evolving artistic identity.

Released on Brooklyn’s Sunken Living Room label, this marks their first single of 2025 and establishes Sun Scene as artists capable of honoring classic songwriting while pushing their dream pop sound into genuinely new territories.