O.K. Which mad fool band would pick 33 songs and try to cram them into 13 tracks? Rock Sugar that's who. This is one challenge that's been attempted by this highly talented band, and guess what? They've only gone and pulled off one of the best, most entertaining albums of the year.
Fancy some 'Enter Sandman' with 'Don't Stop Believin' lyrics? How about Rick Springfield's 'Jessie's Girl' played to Ozzy Osborne's 'Crazy Train'? O.K I must admit at first this mish mash of songs had me wondering if I would really like it but as the many listens went on it kinda grew on me. I found myself finding all sorts of clever musical twists and turns along my journey to sugar country. This is a fantastic and bold coming together of some of the best loved Rock/Metal bands of the 80's & 90's fused with the most popular pop songs from the same generation.
What stands head and shoulders above many other bands is that they are so talented and meticulous, with Jess Harnell's vocals suiting every style of song covered here. This is a covers album that literally covers them all 'Here comes the fool you wanted' is so ridiculously unachievable on paper that when you hear it you cannot believe how well it works. Annie Lennox mixed with Bon Jovi's 'Wanted Dead or Alive' and Cinderella's 'Nobody's Fool'... crazy I know but it works a treat. Just when I thought that was mad enough Rock Sugar then hit me with 'Round And Separated' featuring none other than Ratt's Round and Round with the lyrics of Journey's Separate Ways from their AOR classic album Frontiers.
With all their influences well and truly cemented in the '80's hair metal scene this is sure to re-kindle some memories and win over new fans wishing they were alive to appreciate the ozone destroying hair metal years. Rock Sugar have surprised and surpassed all my expectations with one of the most fun and enjoyable releases so far this year. If Willy Wonka and 80's buxom diva Elvira wanted to form a band the result would be Rock Sugar...a little weird but you know you have to see where its going to take you next.
The album's climax is with the 'Dreaming Of A Whole Lotta Breakfast' which has to be my favourite track on the album. Aerosmith's 'Dreaming' and Supertramps 'Breakfast in America's' lyrics which morphs into that unmistakeable Led Zeppelin riff. There are so many bands and artists covered here it would take me ages listing them all and to be honest would spoil the surprise for you, this is one discovery you have to make yourselves and believe me it's worth the trouble.
At the moment Reimaginator is only available from their website, with a successful Facebook campaign to get them at this years Download Festival it's bound to get a U.K release. I'm sure you're going to hear a lot about Rock Sugar in the coming months, lets hope they prepare themselves for the European media onslaught.
Ladies and Gentlemen prepare to be hot sticky and sweet this summer, get ready to be covered in sugar, Rock Sugar.
Track List:-
1.DON'T STOP THE SANDMAN
2.WE WILL KICKSTART YOUR RHAPSODY
3.CRAZY GIRL
4.VOICES IN THE JUNGLE
5.HERE COMES THE FOOL YOU WANTED
6.SHOOK ME LIKE A PRAYER
7.STRAIGHT TO ROCK CITY
8.PRAYIN' FOR A SWEET WEEKEND
9.HEAVEN AND HEAVEN
10.BREAKIN' THE LOVE
11.I LOVE SUGAR ON ME
12.ROUND AND SEPARATED
13.DREAMING OF A WHOLE LOTTA BREAKFAST
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