Album Review: Dead Confederate - Sugar

From Atlanta, GA comes Dead Confederate and their second album, 'Sugar', a record that despite its dark, bleak delivery has an overall light aura which draws you in as opener 'In The Dark'shows, it swains and swirls subtly behind pounding drums with slight psychedelic tone. Whereas 'Run From The Gun' has a grainy, folk-esque sound with Hardy Morris' vocals steadily warbling at a steady, easing pace.

Throughout Dead Confederate show an old-school indie rock sound; 'Father Figure' buries itself with its aching tone before bursting through with rejoice. 'Quiet Kid' and 'Mob Scene' are a throwback to 90's grunge. Whilst the peculiar delivery of 'Semi-Thought', with its organ bites and swirling vocals that leans towards the "stoner-rock" genre.

However 'Giving It All' shows the bands more upbeat side, with light guitars, a memorable chorus and overall tone that is reminiscent of better times, especially musically as this wouldn't sound out of place on any 90's rock radio station. Nonetheless the title track sees the band wallowing in their self-pitying, Morris' words cries out for attention and along with its slow-burning tempo, Dead Confederate create an intense number that draws you in with intrigue. The same can be said the closing 'Shocked To Realize', its calm delivery gives the impression that whatever troubles they had, have now gone.

With 'Sugar', Dead Confederate have created a concise work that manages to leave you interested and enthralled throughout. Whilst musically at times it is not all that original, they still manage to take their influences and use them to their best ability. However 'Sugar' isn't the best album of the year, but it certainly isn't the worse. It's old school alt rock vibe is one that admirable and will please fans of the genre, but equally does fail to produce a stand out track, but this is that albums purpose, to produce an record that flows and leaves you with a feeling that this band has something but you can't quite figure it out.

3.5/5

'Sugar' by Dead Confederate is released on August 23rd via Kartel Records.

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Sean Reid