This week marks the ten year anniversary of Sugarcult’s ‘Palm Trees And Powerlines’.
One of the early pioneers of the pop-punk / emo sound, Sugarcult had really established their sound on their third studio album, ‘Start Static’, a record packed full of bouncy, infinitely catchy tracks.
By contrast, the Californian’s fourth release, ‘Palm Trees and Power Lines’ was a move towards more rocky notes, whilst maintaining that summery, anthemic feel of their previous release. With more adult themes, including tensions between band members and heavier riffs, this was the sound of the band growing up, along with their fanbase.
Single ‘She’s The Blade’ was a definite hit with the MySpace generation, being featured on many a teen’s page, while the instant sing-a-long number ‘Memory’ was a top track on MTV and later included as part of the ‘Punk Goes Acoustic’ series.
Flash forward to today and the band are still on an indefinite hiatus. Although they’ve never ended officially, the once eager fans are no longer expectantly waiting on a new record, their last release being a live documentary showcasing the band’s most popular tracks from their seven most active years.
More melodic than their peers: Taking Back Sunday and New Found Glory, whilst remaining more upbeat than the angsty Brand New, Sugarcult’s commercial success is a testament to how accessible they were to those just discovering rock music. To the band’s credit, this album and its predecessor are certainly the reason for many a teen donning their skinny jeans and embracing a love of all things pop-punk. Long may their sound live on.
Words by: Natalie Gardiner
Feel the nostalgia and listen to ‘Memory’ below.
