ALBUM: Compilation - 'This Is The Sound Of Sugar Town'

Whether or not you voted conservative in this year’s general election, there’s no denying their numerous cuts to the budget have had a dire effect on many of the nation’s much-needed services – not to mention on the country’s moral as a whole.

Smaller towns and organisations are usually the first to suffer when there’s a monetary crisis and – as more cuts are made – it’s easy to feel disheartened and assume “no-one’s doing anything to help”; but that’s where twelve bands from the Bury St Edmunds rock & alternative scene are stepping in to prove you wrong…

What politicians won’t fix, the people will – and these particular people happen to be instrumentally accomplished. When the funding for their local Women’s Refuge was affected by the aforementioned budget cuts, twelve bands from this British town decided to raise much needed money for the organisation by recording a limited edition 12″ vinyl, This Is The Sound Of Sugar Town.

All the profits from the sale of the 12″ are going directly to the Women’s Refuge, which will provide relief to vulnerable women in the local area. The release is also part of Independent Label Week, and the vinyl hosts some truly beautiful artwork of Bury St Edmund’s ‘unlikely landmark’ the Silver Spoon sugar beet factory by artist/musician (and former Long Blonde) Kate Jackson. With causes as worthy (and cool) as this behind the inspiration for the record, what exactly can listeners expect from This Is The Sound Of Sugar Town?

The prestigious role of opening track goes to Voter Kernel, who perform ‘Unnatural Gathering Of Animals’ like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Their sound blasts open the compilation with their roaring, distorted guitars and primal drumming – both of which aid the contemplation of “the agony of human company”.

Horse Party change the pace and demonstrate their steady, equestrian excellence on second track ‘What I’d Do’, defiantly singing “I will come back feeling new”. The Few deliver a kind of anti-advice anthem on following track ‘Bury’d Alive’ – the wordplay on the song’s title being a knowing wink to their hometown – and The Machismo’s amp up the volume further with ‘Rise Again’, which is a Bury St Edmunds belter.

Rats As Big As Dogs deliver a short mix of ricocheting vocals and reverb that leads to a cathartic, blitzy close on ‘Same Difference’. The layering of synths and bass on Scare The Normals‘ track ‘Tomorrow’ is superbly sinister, as are the lyrics -“maybe I don’t function like I’m supposed to”. Pale Fires’ ‘Sky Dance’ is as romantic and ethereal as it sounds, filled with psychedelic guitars and dreamy vocals, which ring out gloriously for almost five minutes (although you’ll wish it were longer).

<a href="http://repeatfanzine.bandcamp.com/album/this-is-the-sound-of-sugar-town">This is the Sound of Sugar Town by Various artists</a>

The Vitamins’ immensely catchy lyrics on ‘The Present (Stairway)’ contemplate the drudgery of the 9-5, whilst Tryal Of Witches bring the heavy with ‘Sweating Rum’ – loaded with thrashing guitars from start to finish. Cathedrals And Cars’ ‘Posterity Measures’ provide an alternative, introspective edge to record, and Fortunato bring their aural version of ‘Utopia’ on the eleventh track.

The task of closing this almighty collection of radical rock anthems falls to gifted soloist (and Horse Party vocalist) Eleanour Lou. ‘Ring The Change’ is a poignant, beautifully crafted slow song, the effect of which lasts long after the needle has left the vinyl’s groove.

If you want to simultaneously support women in need, independent record labels, up-and-coming bands and stick-it-to-the-man in the process, you need to purchase This Is the Sound Of Sugar Town immediately.

This Is The Sound Of Sugar Town, released via R*E*P*E*A*T Records and Pure Deadly, will be available in all good records shops (while stocks last) and on iTunes/Spotify etc from Friday 13 November. You can pre-order a copy here: www.repeatfanzine.bandcamp.com

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut