There's obviously a fine line between the hyper-clich' badge of 'the next big thing' and the less fortunate one of 'what should be the next big thing.' In discussing this, it's easy to get very cynical very quickly. But at the end of the day, isn't it really the music that matters? Sure, I'd be na've to assume that every band in existence would rather make good music than good money. I'd be even more na've to assume that truly good music will somehow prevail - especially economically - over manufactured, commercial claptrap. But extinguishing hope and admitting defeat are not the way to win the airwaves back, right? So where is this all leading to? Right to Sugar Eater's debut full-length, Nine Songs: a great record you will probably never get the pleasure of owning.
Sugar Eater are one of the many bands in punk rock making music worthy of the big leagues all while keeping it relatively small-time. They're not about trends, they're not about fashion, but they are definitely about writing some pretty sweet songs without succumbing to classic scene clich's.
Taking a cue from the classic 'open and end the album with strong songs' guideline, Salinger-referencing album opener, 'A Perfect Day for Bananafish,' is one of the album's best and catchiest songs. I'd even go so far as to say it has one of pop-punk's finest choruses since Bad Religion's heyday. The next song, 'Your Dad Has a Mullet,' could either be interpreted as a scathing satire on white trash America, or just as a fun song about some dude's creepy dad. Either way, it's a great slab of Descendents-evoking thrash pop.
'For Emo with Love and Squalor' is easily one of the finest (and least likely to incite eye-rolling) anti-scene songs ever written. Noting that all you really need to succeed in the music world these days are 'good looks and bad clich's' is about as honest and straightforward a take on modern mainstream rock as there is. The emo-aping chorus is hilarious as well: 'So I'll make you a mixtape / to say what I can't say / Oh Cordelia, please don't let my poor heart break! / He doesn't love you like I do / I'd do anything for you / See? It's not hard to make a teenage fangirl swoon.'
All in all, if you're into punk rock with genuine, memorable pop hooks, you'd be a fucking idiot to pass this up.
