Sugar Army
The Parallels Amongst Ourselves
(Shock)

Although Sugar Army has received many accolades from their native country of Australia, with their new album, The Parallels Amongst Ourselves, the group proves that it’s ready to take on the rest of the world.

Lush, atmospheric guitar sets the mood for the album in a manner similar to Interpol, while the vocals are much more akin to We Are Scientists. “That’s a Damn Fine Cliché” features arresting distortion and one of the catchiest choruses on the album, while “Another Loose End” reveals a vulnerable side that makes Sugar Army’s range even more remarkable.

The most haunting track on the album is “No Need for Lovers,” which centers on the trial of a lesbian couple who brutally murder another girl without remorse. There’s a creepy sort of beauty to this track that grabbed my attention even after just one listen. This is definitely the kind of record whose riffs and choruses get stuck in your head in the middle of the night, begging you to come back for another listen, until you memorize every hook.