Review by Ryan Getz
Music submissions really are a grab bag. Sifting through the dozens of press releases and feature requests we receive is a daunting task. Occasionally, an intriguing pitch or a particularly persistent publicist will get our attention. Consider this pre-reviewing 101 for you, the reader. Sugar Glyder from Charlotte, NC is a band with both an intriguing pitch and a persistent publicist. These are both good things!
The “recommended if you like” list for Sugar Glyder includes Paper Route – reason enough to pay a smite more attention to the band than other releases. The email caught yours truly in the afterglow of a true masterpiece, Paper Route’s The Peace of Wild Things. To quote electropop singer Lights, “timing is everything.” Let me be straight with you – Sugar Glyder is no Paper Route. We can certainly hear hints of JT Daly at times in the vocals of The Eyes: They See but with a more emo sensibility at times. The flagship example of this is the haunting single “Campfire,” which has some well placed synth elements that frankly really tickle my fancy. Forgive the cheesy phrase that sounds like it could be hyperbole – I assure you it isn’t.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi2SzRT5OFU&h=297&w=450]
By far the biggest strength of The Eyes: They See is the record’s ability to appeal to several different audiences. The band has landed opening slots on both a tour with Paper Route and spot dates with You, Me and Everyone We Know. While emo and new wave influenced ambient rock both drive the heartbeat of the band, sometimes we find other genre inklings, such as when “So Long, Good Night” tugs at our 90’s alternative nostalgia. The nostalgia gives way to angst in “Love Run Low” and “Song Holiday.” The angst shines again in power ballad “Whole In My Heart,” where shades of Incubus’ Brandon Boyd poke through in the vocals. An ethereal tone ends the album in “Baxolectro,” markedly in contrast with the straightforward sunny pair of tunes “Lost in the Woods” and “Lady Touch” (ironic that I’m mentioning the opening tracks last!).
This album is unquestionably one of the more intriguing debuts of the year, and the intrigue ought to continue growing as the band makes their way up the tour totem pole.
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