Sugar Army

"Sugar Army have done it; they have captured their sensational live sound, a rupturing depth of eerie, multi-dimensional darkness and threaded it into record brilliance. Severely haunting, without even trying, the album is lyrically articulate and also beautifully presented. In the first full-length album release from Sugar Army, it is obvious local Perth bands cannot hide behind the wall of small town isolation and scene handicapping, as this recording is easily worthy of international attention. Nauseatingly talented and engaged with some artistic force binding both scene and sound, Sugar Army will rock you." - Xpress Magazine (9 July 2009)
(June 2009)
It’s looking very much like Sugar Army’s debut album is going to be a cracker. The band’s method of recording this album song-by-song has already yielded an alternative radio staple in the form of the Acute single, and now the equally-impressive Tongues In Cheeks has shown itself.
Two-for-two is a pretty good score by anyone’s standards.
Characteristically, Tongues In Cheeks reflects what Sugar Army displayed with Acute: an enviable ability to know how to balance lightness and darkness so that neither chokes the life out of the other. You can dance to it, you can soak up its eeriness, or you can just put it on in the car and feel your foot getting heavier.
And, have you noticed that Sugar Army seem to be able to make their drum beats as catchy as their melodies!? That can’t be an easy thing to do. When everything in a song has a hook, you have to expect the people who wrote it are onto something pretty special.
The bottom line is that Sugar Army are fun, but that’s not all they are. There’s as much depth to be found in their music as there is that wonderful carefree element of simply being able to sing along.
It’s just a beautiful combination of people who know how to write songs, and know how to write songs together. Coincidence, luck, fate… whatever you personally explain it as, there’s no denying that the stars have aligned for Sugar Army’s debut album.
As the second serve of this album, Tongues In Cheeks is really quite delicious. It seems strange that the song only lasts a few minutes, as it feels quite epic and grand. Many different parts overlap under the wing of the predominant vocal hooks, and while the song works immediately as an instantly-hummable pop tune, it works just as well with headphones, listened to repeatedly, each newly-discovered layer peeling back like the skins of an onion.
Naturally, the band are stoked with how well-received Acute has been. This excitement is sure to show up in their debut album as they continue to record it.
For now, Sugar Army humbly offer you Tongues In Cheeks, for your listening, dancing, and driving pleasure.
Enjoy.
Sugar Army ‘The Parallels Amongst Ourselves’ debut album out July 10 on Shock
"These Perth boys are something else. Talent laid on so thick it drips from their blessed little fingertips, out-shining every post-punk synth pop pretender across this wide brown land. Take Tongues In Cheeks, for example: a graceful little wind-up then a firestorm of fractious beats, fervent vocals and lean Gen Y lyrics, all perfectly balanced despite their speed. It’s perfect pop, and they arc it up a notch in the chorus for surefire dance floor mania. Five glittering stars." - Beat Magazine (June 2009) - Single of the week
"Although the band is young, there is a worldly and dissatisfied feel to the words and their delivery. From the verse the song becomes increasingly smooth and poppy with harmonies dipping in and out and the lead vocals soaring in their semi-affected indie-ness, which has become a style of its own. This song is an exciting insight into a band that brings a unique flavour to the Australian music scene banquet. Taste the sugar." - The Dwarf (March 2009)
"Opening with the anthemic “…And Now You’re Old Enough, I Think That You Should Know”, Sugar Army’s Where Do You Hide Your Toys EP is the sonic eclecticism of dance rock done right for once. The label doesn’t do their sound justice though – the West Australian four piece are at home channeling anything from the Cure and QOTSA to Muse, with vocalist Patrick Mclaughlin’s distinctive pipes cutting over gritty riffs and leading unfailingly into shout-along choruses almost guaranteed to make Sugar Army a killer live act. “Jigsaw” is discordant and layered with jangly guitars and falsetto while “Maybe The Boy Who Cried Wolf Was Just Paranoid” is the sleeper, with a dirty driving rhythm, weird choral overdubs and brilliant percussion. The other half of the album, please – and soon." - Rolling Stone (May 2008)
"If you think you liked Cut Copy, the Midnight Juggernauts or any of those other unfortunate Australian hipster bands, get ready to have your teeth knocked out." - Beat Magazine (February 2008)