Girl at the Rock Shows

I’ve had my fair share of conversations with people discouraged by the state of music these days. These conversations are all mostly the same. They start with something like, “Don’t you miss when there was creativity and heart in music?” I shut those conversations down right then and there because if you open your eyes and your ears, you’ll realize that plenty of very young kids are putting out some of the best music the world has to offer right now. A case in point is Chicagoland-area-based Sugar Weather. This band, consisting of course members Daniel Spencer (18 years old) and Holden Docherty (19 years old), along with various touring musicians, just released their debut self-titled album. If you feel discouraged by the new music out there or think that young kids have nothing to offer the world of music, I need you to drop everything and check this album out with me.

This eight-song album starts with “The Water Song” and instantly transported me to a different era and time. The instrumentation has a slight psychedelia influence, giving the track an almost retro feel. The vocals have a very dark tone to them leaning into a nearly blues rock world. Right off the bat, I lost myself for the right words to describe this opening song. It’s dark and gloomy, but there are bright pops of epic and harmonious guitars and no lack of swagger. Stylistically, even saying psychedelic or blues rock doesn’t quite fit. Maybe it’s grunge? Maybe alt-rock? Who the heck knows? All I know is that this young band had me on the edge of my seat for this entire opening track.

I was instantly drawn to “No Peace for the Wicked” because I never seemed to grow out of my angsty teenage years. This second track is the only song on this track with an explicit warning attached to it. I know that, realistically, this means little to nothing, as one curse word could land a track with this warning, but I do know that I instantly loved the swagger of this song. It reminded me a bit of songs from the soundtrack of True Blood (okay, now I’m showing my age). It’s a quick-paced track, but something about the darkness of the vocals keeps this song from feeling too fast or anything like that. It’s a swagger-drenched track with guitar solos that will leave your head spinning.

“Lake Frozen Over” doesn’t waste any time treating your ears to an epic guitar solo before settling back into Sugar Weather’s signature bluesy rock sound. Although I found some of the phrases used in the lyrics to be slightly cliche, it’s what this band does with those cliches that really had me in love. Although in love, I also felt like I was a bit hypnotized by this track. It’s nearly four and a half minutes long, yet I have very little to say about this song. This is a sign of genius if you ask me. I always have a lot to say, but the fact that I can’t quite find words and truly just got lost in this song shows just how brilliant this group is.

“S.O.S.” has some cool and intriguing instrumentation behind it. Although it’s more of the same from Sugar Weather, there’s something about the guitar work in this song that has just a bit more twang to it, making it stand out. The instrumentation in this song is also completely unrelenting, but not too much. It’s a tricky balance, but Sugar Weather has effortlessly done it on this track. There are moments when you may start to fear that this song will get away from this band, but let me assure you, this band is in control throughout this song, and it’s a genuine thrill to listen to.

The shortest song on this album is “Stoned,” and believe me when I tell you, it feels as if this song comes out of nowhere. There’s an almost old-school Elvis meets Buddy Holly thing going on in this song that I definitely wasn’t expecting. At the same time, you still get Sugar Weather’s signature deep and dark vocals and their stellar guitar work. This sudden shift in mood, beat, and style caught me off guard, to say the least, but I loved how it seemed to break up this album and punt me out of the trance I had gotten lost in during the previous couple of tracks.

The band goes back to their usual offering as the album moves on to “Searched and Clean.” The beat slows back to their signature blues-rock-inspired beat, while the chug of the guitar and the solid drums create this odd feeling of the song moving much faster than it actually is. The epic piano part really stood out to me in this sixth track. It’s bright but has a slight echo, giving it a super powerful sound. Obviously, as a pianist, I listened to the piano part of this song multiple times before moving on, but even if you aren’t a sucker for piano like I am, I really think that these few seconds of this track will surely catch your attention.

Second to last on this album is the rockin’ track, “Your Man” ” This definitely leans a bit heavier into the psychedelic vibe that can be heard throughout this album, but, like all of the other songs, this one is also clearly a track from Sugar Weather. It’s been a while since I’ve watched anything on Woodstock, but there was a time when I was obsessed with that event, and I feel like this song is one that would slide into that soundtrack and that world so easily. That said, I don’t want you to write this track off (or this band in general) for being old and classic. They really have a beautiful and youthful twist to this sound that just can not be ignored.

As if wanting to end on a threat, this self-titled album closes with “We’ll Meet Again…”. This haunting track dares you to leave this listening session without remembering just what a ride this album is. Although part of me wanted this album to end with a bombastic and triumphant track leaning more into that classic rock n’ roll sound of “Stoned,” I loved the more slow and steady intention that you get on this song. It seems to act as a threat, leaving you with Sugar Weather’s name and distinct sound stuck in your head.

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