S.U.G.A.R.

Reviews

S.U.G.A.R. III 12″

Five years back, S.U.G.A.R.’s self-titled debut showed up with enough piss and vinegar to do some justice to the late ’70s SAINTS and TESTORS records these Berliners love. III is somehow…smoother. The debut had teeth, and this one has a leer. Eight songs in twenty-six minutes at 45 rpm, and the prevailing mode is a low-rent sleaze, the sound of a band that picked up the bad habits along with the riffs and would rather work the room than start a fight. Whether that’s a trade you want depends on what you came for. My own preference runs to the version of this band with sharper edges, but a band that has backed Toody Cole knows exactly what it’s doing, and if the greasy end of rock’n’roll is where you live, there’s plenty here. Out on crystal vinyl from Alien Snatch!

Blowers / S.U.G.A.R. split 10″

Long-haired punkers posing with their pets makes a fitting cover image for this beastly little split. Berlin’s S.U.G.A.R. provides two straightforward rockers that, though delivered with an inherent maturity, are still loaded with freewheelin’ spirit of the cut-off sleeves variety, including a classic cover that they’re known to use as an encore. The BLOWERS side is unabashed attitude, with three tracks of bratty, lo-fi, RAMONES-y garage capped off by the acoustic tearjerker “Fuckwit in a Band.” It’s a tasty platter suitable for all species.

S.U.G.A.R. II LP

Wow, this is straightforward, grinding and pounding garage punk from Berlin. It’s got an intensity not often encountered in the melodic punk/power pop world. Sure, it’s catchy and it’s easy to bounce your head along, but the real story here is the energy they bring and the sense of urgency that comes with it. Eight tracks, but that’s all you need for now. At times, they bring me back to Australia and what was going on there in 1978/1979. Other times, they remind me of the STITCHES. Excellent record.