Tuesday 9 November 2010

Record Review: Sweet Jane - Sugar For My Soul


I've been a bit busy (as usual) but still doing lots of music writing. I've been doing indie reviews for Rave Magazine over the past few months. Lots of records get sent there and occasionally you pick up stuff that is quite interesting. Here is my review of Irish rock band Sweet Jane, and they're not too band. They do sound a lot like the Ravoenettes and our own Bonfire Nights.. Review follows.

From the moment opening track Bleed begins to seep through the speakers, I know I’m on to a winner with Sugar For My Soul, the debut record from Irish rock act Sweet Jane. They weave their way through the better days of Britpop, such as on the meandering Something For My Soul, to the more contemporary stripped-back rock sound of The Raveonettes, Where’s Your Money being a pertinent exemplar. The curiously named Danda and Lydia Des Dolles share vocal duties, the songs dealing with a predictable set of foibles: love, romance and the lack thereof. Sounds conventional, but the songwriting is surprisingly strong throughout. From the yearning Black Eyes, with its distinctive tremolo guitar riff underscoring a sense of grief, to the smile-inducing fun of You’re Making This Hard, a song where dissonance, dream pop and jangly melodies intersect, Sugar For My Soul’s strength is in its consistency.


Have a listen to 'You're Making This Hard'. This version is a lot slower than the record version for some reason.




Originally published in Rave Magazine.

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