Well... what an upset. This album comes nowhere close to Start Static. Bands like Sugarcult, Green Day and other pop punk bands have all had an attempt at changing their sound and image and sometimes it works. But for Sugarcult IT DIDN'T! Sugarcult hailing from California smashed into the scene with their debut Start Static which was extremely upbeat and fun. Basically SS contained songs you could dance to. But bands usually don't try and change their image for their second album. Yet their are some upbeat songs that are actually fairly good on Palm Trees and Power Lines, surprisingly...
Sugarcult is:
Tim Pagnotta- vox & guitar
Marko 72- guitar
Airin- Bass
Kenny Livingston- drums
Well first of all the music in this album is almost effortless but somewhat catchy at times. Like Green Day with "American Idiot" which was catchy but too simple. For example, in the song "Memory", which was the first single off this album, the lyrics make you want to sing along but the guitar and drums are so boring with no catchy riffs. What I'm trying to get through is that the vocals save a lot of these songs from being skipped over while listening.
Then there was the first song on the album, also the 2nd single, "She's The Blade" has a somewhat catchy intro yet the rest of the song is boring. This song was a bad choice for an opener. Same with "What You Say", the intro gets you a little into it but not when the intro, verses, choruses, and everything else is the SAME stupid riff.
One of my favorite tracks on the album is "Crying" which makes up for an annoying opener. With Tim screaming the last word of every line in the verses, and different riffs for the different parts of the song. One good song finally. There are a large share of slower acoustic tracks too. "Back to California", which isn't really that bad, "Counting stars", and "Sign Off", boring song if I say so myself.
Basically the boring powerchord riffs, lack of original drumbeats, and boring bass make one heck of a bad album. I bought this album in good anticipation that it would be great like Start Static. Well, I guess it just wasn't. They went for a darker approach, and I like the old Sugarcult much better.
Do NOT buy this unless you are obsessed with Sugarcult. 2/5
Song ratings:
She's The Blade- 4/10
Crying- 9/10
Memory- 7/10
Worst December- 3/10
Back To California- 5/10
Destination Anywhere-8/10
Champagne- 2/10
What to Say- 3/10
Over- 6/10
Head Up- 4/10
Counting Stars- 5/10
Sign Off- 3/10
Pros+
+good vocals
+Some good songs
Cons-
-boring guitar
-nothing special
-not enough pros
Hop you like this review. The album isn't good though :(
