In 2023, US rockers Nectarous released ‘Whiskey Hustlin’ Woman’, a great single that flaunted a massive 70s influence. The way it blended the Southern Style of Lynyrd Skynyrd with a dose of 90s style funk rock – particularly notable through an infectious guitar riff – was particularly cool, if never entirely fashionable. In some ways, it set the band in place as a more melodic Black Stone Cherry, and more than suggested there would be more great music ahead.

Promoting their debut album – a self-titled affair, released in August 2024 – their current single ‘Sugarcoat’ makes good on that early promise. Immediately setting a hefty drum sound in place, the number blends various 70s rock tropes with an even bigger groove. A huge vocal is underscored by bass part which appears massively busy, but fits everything with absolute precision, but as before, it’s the guitar work that really stands out. Across these four minutes, Brodie Perro plays up an absolute storm, whether locking into a chopping groove that often sounds as if it were inspired by ‘Homeward Strut’ from Tommy Bolin’s classic ‘Teaser’ LP, delivering a massive Peter Frampton talk box solo, or merely dropping a few melodic, bluesy notes into an unashamedly busy melody.

At its best, this well arranged number makes Nectarous sound like the slightly more aggressive heirs to The Edgar Winter Group. You’ll find deeper blues fuelled sounds on the album itself, but if ‘Sugarcoat’ happens to be one of your first experiences hearing this band, it’s a near perfect introduction.

Check out the video below.