On their debut EP, US funk/rock band Sugar Bones prove the old theory that quality will always trump quantity. In a little under twenty minutes, these guys whip up an impressive musical party: with three slabs of tight funk, a strong soul inspired jam, and a massive rocker with some serious 70s boots, there’s something here for most listeners who love things with a retro sound.
‘That I Do’ introduces the band with a Bernard Edwards inspired bassline, creating a massive groove, over which a subtle rhythm guitar bolsters an already impressive sound. With a solid and funky melody is in place, vocalist Corrin Cruz starts to sing, and at once, a bustling sound takes on an incendiary flair. On the verses, she adopts a soulful tone – big on melody, but sultry enough to showcase a rather curly voice – and on a slightly rockier chorus, she lets out a massive cry that accentuates the rock aesthetic that’s been gradually simmering alongside the band’s solid funk backbone. The guitar work mightn’t quite have the flair of Nile Rodgers, but the unwavering influence from Chic cannot be avoided here, and Sugar Bones’ love for them is more than clear. Hearing a band adding a bigger muscle to a slice of late 70s disco/funk is always impressive, of course, and the confidence displayed on this opening number sets a great hope in place for similar strong vibes for the rest of this release.
Centred around a funky bass groove, the brilliant ‘Places Not Familiar’ works a cool 70s sound on its verses. The blend of pulsing rhythms and melodic guitar lines immediately gives the track a lot of heart, but as with the bulk of Sugar Bones’ best work, it really springs to life once Cruz starts to sing. This number allows her to explore the full range of her voice. She fills the mellower, funk oriented parts with an effortless and soulful curl, before stretching for a huge rock tinged belt for a chunkier chorus. Although this works a similar trick to ‘What I Do’, it’s a stylistic choice that clearly works very naturally for the band, and as such, doesn’t sound any less impressive this second time around. For the main hook, the guitar work increases accordingly, and the band make the transition between a light Nile Rodgers inspired sound to a crunchy Stevie Salas inflected groove with ease. If you have any early feelings about the Sugar Bones sound, this track is where the listener is likely to find a huge love for it – for those who enjoy a bit of old school funk rock, this is a must hear.
Offering a slightly more interesting vibe at first, a warbling bassline and heavily treated guitar at the beginning of ‘You Make Me Bad’ gives the feeling of something warped or underwater, but things quickly find their feet via another superb disco inflected groove. Driven by another tight bassline, there are moments where this feels even more Chic-centric, but ensuring there’s a little more variety at play, the verse is offset by an even louder chorus. Here, the funk jam takes on a chunky rock mood, and although the guitar is dirtier, it never upsets the melodic balance that’s at the heart of the Sugar Bones sound. Like the younger Lenny Kravitz has stepped in, this fusionist melody comes with a huge swagger which, naturally, is the perfect fit for Cruz, who turns in a fabulous performance throughout.
Teasing with something even more groove laden, the intro of ‘Pretty Please’ trades in the disco flourishes for a massive slap bass that tips the hat to the funk metal boom of 1991, before Sugar Bones turn the melodic root entirely on its head to introduce an overdriven guitar that shares a bluesy, hard rock sound. Huge and dirty, it sounds like Tony Iommi jamming out a Stevie Salas riff, which inspires Cruz to wail from the bottom of her lungs. This metallic stance feels almost as natural for Sugar Bones as their ingrained love for funk, and that’s largely due to the presence of a superb vocal. If there were any doubts regarding Cruz’s range, they can be left at the door: dropping from the massive wails to emotive soulfulness once the band revert to quieter funk, she displays a hugely natural talent here that seems truly comfortable, no matter what musical curves the music throws in her direction.
An earlier single release reprised here, ‘I Feel Feelings’ sees the band trying their hand at a blend of blues and soul, driven by a cleaner guitar tone and an almost jazzy flair from the drums. The verse drops in a subtle reference to the melody of ‘Jealous Guy’, along with a couple of vocal nods to Etta James, but as the melody grows, so too, does the distinctive edge present in this particular number. Adding a funkier backdrop, the more obvious Sugar Bones sound cuts through, allowing the bass to take on almost as much of a presence as the vocal, creating a mellow workout that’s smooth enough to feel like a heart-wrenching ballad, yet just busy enough to sit comfortably among the EP’s other tracks.
By blending funk rock and soul, US band Sugar Bones make music that crosses musical boundaries, but their main concern isn’t necessarily the creation of anything mind-bendingly original. These guys simply want to bring together a wealth of great influences and give their listeners a good time and, on that score, their self-titled EP is a resounding success. This may be short, but it’s likely to spend a long while as part of your listening rotation, whether in isolation or gracing a well curated playlist. Highly recommended.
November 2024