Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Gem - Sugar High b/w Spinner



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Here's a piece of music I acquired recently that knocked me on my ass. I ordered it from Paradise Records before I left for tour in February because they are homies and the aesthetic grabbed me. I have finally returned and had the chance to listen to it and it couldn't have arrived at a better time. It was a beautiful day in the high seventies and everything was blooming. I put it on with my door open and had to sit down, the record commanded my attention. "Sugar High" opens with crunchy chords punching in over sullen feedback and then driven home by heavy percussion. The vocal delivery is unique in that it pulls from a 'rosey' candor akin to Cranes, Medicine or Lush. Can't quite put your finger on them. It feels childlike and innocent but pulls at an adult heart. By the time that first lead cranks in I'm completely sold and the song ends leaving me desiring so much more. The opening track itself reflects the fleeting quality of love in that it fills you completely and leaves you elated then disappears. I can replay it over and over but I'm just searching to reconnect with that feeling I had when it took me by surprise in my initial listening. It's perfect, leaves you wanting more; always a good quality in a piece of music. The B- side is titled "Spinner" and has more of a conventional structure with a definite hook. Actually, multiple hooks (in that the whole song is a succession of them). The song begins with a plucked melody that eventually cascades down in a crash of a driving chorus as described vocally by the lyrics. By the second time this musical process all hits you again it is dressed with a lead that really drives the song home. I contacted Jeremy about the band just to send my praise and we talked about the idea of it scoring a 90s film and how appropriate it seemed. I believe the specific things referenced were the soundtrack for "Clueless" and the Cranberries "Just My Imagination" video. If you don't get the idea and don't know that you need this already please download it. It's summer time and I'll be flipping this like crazy.

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