Album Review: Sugargliders - The Hookup
SUGARGLIDERS
The Hookup
June 4, 2016
7.5/10
Packed full of soulful tones, playful arrangements, and some snazzy saxophone work, the debut release from Sugargliders is a solid addition to the sunny weather season.
Sugargliders are: (left to right) Jay Hispkind, Jon Hartman, Patrick Ryan, Wyatt Strasen (not pictured; Elton Bishop on sax)
Some things in life just fit together. Peanut butter & jelly, wine & cheese, coffee & cigarettes; one such pairing these days is neo-soul and sunshine. Fort Wayne band Sugargliders puts out music for just such a pairing. There's enough 'good vibes' in their debut release to last through this summer and the summers to follow, or at least until their next release.
It's a band composed of two elements; whimsical guitars arrangements and a balanced rhythm section to match. Along the way you'll also find some extra smooth saxophone lines that add just the right amount of chill to each song without overwhelming what's already a wonderfully laid back sound. I feel like one of the downsides to bands in this genre is that they put either too much or too little into their songs. But with tracks like "Puerto Rico" and "Eye on You" there's just enough of everything to let it wash over you smoothly for a casual listen or for digging deep into the separate parts of each song.
This album is definitely worth giving your ears over to this summer but more importantly, they're a band that's fun to see live and even chat up after the show. Good dudes making fun tunes, what's not to love?
Make sure you slide over to their website and preorder The Hookup and while you're at it show them some Facebook love too!