Sugar Red Drive Sugar Red Drive
by Curt Hauff
Staff Writer
Sugar Red Drive pumps out gritty rock with a tight, funky groove. They have a sound similar to such heavy hitters as Stone Temple Pilot, Saigon Kick, Alter Bridge, Course of Nature and Shinedown.
There are many songs on this album that have a superb hook. Take “One More Time” or “Grace” for instance. Both songs have an excellent chorus that is easy to learn by the end of the first listen. While “Grace” is a little closer to the pop genre, both have an energetic sound.
The album’s opening track, “Wicked Sister”, “Velvet Leash” and “Comin’ Down” are also full of energy and hooks. “Wicked Sister” has a slammin’ groove, while “Velvet Leash” has a cool driving C bass line under the epic guitar riff. “Comin Down” has a familiar groove and feels a lot like the aforementioned tracks.
The band shows their softer side as well, with “Miller’s Daughter” and “In My Head”. The latter has an edgier, rock chorus, but the verse is cleaner and more mellow. Both offer a candid, introspective look at life lessons.
There are probably a few too many songs in the key of C. You may not notice it at first, but any time you have a group of songs in the same key, it tends to make the album a little less exciting over a period of time. On the bright side, it’s a low C, which is a fat, dirty sound with plenty of gravel.
If they get some label help and continue to write songs like these, there is no reason why Sugar Red Drive won’t soon be as popular as Nickelback. It will be exciting to see what’s next for this band.
Label: SUGARBEAR/MRI/SONY/RED
TRACK LISTING
1. Wicked Sister
2. Velvet Leash
3. One More Time
4. Red Machine
5. Grace
6. Miller’s Daughter
7. Liar
8. Overdrive
9. In My Head
10. Comin Down
11. Somebody Else
HRH RATING: 8.2/10