Tonic didn't do much mixing of their guitar driven rock sound on Sugar, but then again, that simple, yet entertaining style worked for the band on their debut disc Lemon Parade. Why not keep the same formula? The entire Sugar disc sounds like it was taken from the same recording session as their last project, but that probably stemmed from the fact that Lemon Parade reached platinum selling status.
The band first struck it big with the hit "If You Could Only See," and they've made it back on the mainstream rock charts as of late with "You Wanted More," "Knock Down Walls," and "Mean to Me." The first got the most airplay thus far, as it was featured in the teen favorite, but often referred to as tasteless, movie American Pie. The song features poppy melodies similar in style to acts like Toad the Wet Sprocket and The Normals.
The title track also has been spending a lot of time in the limelight with its gentle tone and inspirational feel. The song is beautifully crafted giving listeners a calm, relaxed feeling at the beginning with a touching, energetic vibe as the track progresses. The song is reminiscent of "If You Could Only See," and the group no doubt had in mind that tune when composing this one. The fastest song on the album is "Top Falls Down" which features hard driving guitars and much more intense vocals than the rest of the disc. Such a track would get my vote to be the band's concert closer.
Tonic fans can look forward to swallowing this new batch of Sugar destined to quench their taste buds the exact same way they were fulfilled after trying out Lemon Parade. The group will wrap up 2000 with a tour of various clubs and will also perform a few in
studio radio station dates.
4.5 tocks
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