Sugar Ray's new album holds true to band's original sound

By Jenny Jones
Summer Reporter

Sugar Ray proves their light alternative sound is not dead with their self-titled fourth album.

The album's opening song, "Answer the Phone," begins this trend by describing a common metaphor of a roller coaster to a relationship. The song's chorus is another of Sugar Ray's great poetic triumphs that remains stuck in your mind long after the song in over, while Mark McGrath's (singer) unbalanced, shaky voice makes this a more believable song.

While "Answer the Phone" has an entire chorus that will surely become trapped in one's head, "Words to Me" jolts somewhat of a catch phrase to it's audience, "get up, get up, get up." This song is fun and may remind listeners of a forgotten "jump, jump" song by Kris Kros considering the resemblance of the catchy lines.

"Words to Me" is not the only song on the album that may take listeners into a time warp, however. "Under the Sun" transports listeners back into a glimpse of the band's summertime memories of cruising in the car, listening to Run D.M.C. and hanging out on the beach. The band brings the listener in by saying; "Do you remember the summer?" "Do you remember all of us together?"

Taking a different approach, "Satellites" mixes up a saucy sound with the strumming of a guitar and the emergence of the entire electric guitar assembly making it sound as though the band effortlessly compiled the song by just touching the instruments. To add to this effect the band recorded themselves having a conversation at the end of the track about the "pirate" song which is really a portion from an Italian tune; in addition it's humorous.

"Satellites" is not the only song on the album that has an individual sound. "Ours" may make one feel as though they were dropped into a virtual dream world through its instrumental diversity. This track doesn't fail to add humor as well with words, such as "hellabanging."

Off the wall words are not the only additive the bands puts in the album, but what is that at the beginning of "Sorry Now?" It sounds as though Sugar Ray recorded a gremlin or a dog at the start of the song; what this has to do with the tune is your guess. "Sorry Now" is a song that most can probably relate to, however. It describes a relationship that was ended without thinking about the consequences, but the person who ended the relationship is "Sorry Now."

Although "Sorry Now" is somewhat of a typical tune, "Stay On" sticks with the rest of the album's theme of different sounding songs. This track's sound is much like that of a tropical Jamaican tune; it even features a bit of a reggae mix at the end. This makes a great addition to a summertime release.