Big Sugar “Eternity Now” Worth the Wait
written by Scotty Evil
Sometimes an awful lot happens for bands between studio albums. Not all bands survive it yet some choose to channel the experiences. Such is the case with the latest release by rockers Big Sugar.
From our interview with Gordie Johnson earlier this year: “We sat down and looked at all the forces in life that were stacked against us in that moment and had the hard talk…do we even want to do this? Is music even important?”
It was, and the band decided to record an album, versus a series of unconnected singles. If the song didn’t fit the narrative, it didn’t make the cut.
And the record opens with a bang, the first track (and title track) being “Eternity Now”, featuring guitar legend Alex Lifeson. The lush guitar, rhythmic bass, harmonic synths interweave with ethnic vibes and hearken back to early 80s progressive rock when it was discovering the reggae influence.
And then the album throws you back even further with a heavy take on a classic Gary Wright track. “Love is Alive” is a pleasant curveball; staying true to the original with gritty, bluesy vocals but vibrating with a fresh, bass-heavy mix.
From the funk we do a 180 to the buzzing, effected guitar of lead single “The Better It Gets”. With the dirty guitar sound we expect of Big Sugar, it’s catchy in so many ways.
“Wonder Woman” pops with a range of rock influences. It’s a straight up rocking ode to the women in our lives and one of my favourite tracks on here.
The orchestral tune “Anything is Possible” grooves along at a subdued tempo and vocals that bubble with optimism. At this point one can see the narrative thread in the album and the reasoning behind the sequence of tracks. The song tails out with bongos and hand drums that lead directly into “New Event Horizon”, transforming into a sexy bump and grind under the latino composition. The themes of seduction and the dangerous dance around something that could pull you in without escape run strongly throughout. That musical thread hypes up the tempo in “Ultra Violet”, sounding dangerous, dark and sexy. The edgy guitar plays in opposition to latino bass. The musical tension is reflected lyrically; “I want to spirit you away from your dark planet” along with the trip arrangement make for an interesting track. These alone are a reason to play the album as it was meant to be; sequentially.
The pace takes a breather with “Strange Spectacular”; it’s downtempo and entrancing. The lyrics are a self-reflecting mobius strip with cosmic references, both literal and spiritual.
“Everything You Want it to Be” finishes on the upbeat and positive with an indulgent return to the warm and irreverent stylings of Big Sugar. It’s a musical beach party as the sun sets on the record.
This is a Big Sugar album where you can tell the band is truly comfortable in it’s own skin. The album itself takes you on an unexpected journey, much as life has and does. In this case, you can sit back and enjoy the ride Gordie Johnson and his crew have created, it’s pretty cool.
Catch Gordie/Big Sugar on their Youtube channel May 8 at 8pm PST for a live performance of their entire album !
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written by Scotty Evil