These days, we’ve got drums with the click of a button. We scroll through an endless sea of software synthesizers to find the perfect sound. But nothing beats the sound of a good band playing good songs in a good room. And that’s exactly what the Sugar Hollows deliver on their newest album Resonance.
Tracked live in one weekend, Resonance showcases a band firing on all cylinders. The band describes their sound as a cocktail of rock influences, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a better blend here. From the swampy opener “Walking In Circles” to the highway sound of “Great Unknown,” The Sugar Hollows reinterpret rock and roll archetypes to build a record that feels nostalgic and new all at once. The heat of their native Richmond feels at the forefront of songs like “Reminiscing,” which feels like a Southern, summer day.
While the band functions perfectly as a unit, each member brings something different. The band remarks, “We don’t see ourselves as defined by a single genre. Our sound is the culmination of the different musical influences and tastes each member brings to the band.” After listening to Resonance, it’s clear that The Sugar Hollows care deeply about the cohesion of a band playing together. And in this era of self-importance and isolation, The Sugar Hollows remind that rock and roll is about community.
We sat down with the guys to learn all about ‘Resonance’ exclusively here for Music Crowns.
Lots of preparation leading up to the weekend of recording. We rehearsed multiple times a week leading up to the recording sesh. Also, we have been writing these songs for close to two years now, so we’ve had these ones ready to go. We did three 12 hour days in the studio. It was an absolute grind, but one of the most fun experiences we’ve had as a band.
Playing live felt more natural to us. We felt it would bring out the best in these songs. On previous albums, we tracked everything individually, and this time we wanted to try and record live as a group. Our guitar player, Owen Nott, is also an amazing improvisational player. You never really know what you’re going to get from him on his solos, it’s all feel and never a rehearsed or scripted thing. Overall, we felt that playing together as a group gave the songs more energy and made them feel more alive.
– Each person in the band brings their own influences to the sound. But, do you feel like your hometown Richmond also shaped the sound of these songs?
Absolutely. Richmond has a huge influence on us. There’s such a wide range of music happening here, and I think that naturally works its way into our sound. You can hear elements of rock, folk, Americana, jam band music, and everything in between. We’ve also been lucky to play a lot of different rooms around Richmond and be surrounded by so many great local musicians. I think being around that kind of scene has made us more open to blending different influences instead of trying to fit into one specific genre.
– What’s next for The Sugar Hollows?
We plan to play more festivals and continue expanding our fan base throughout the Southeast. We love playing in our hometown and will always have shows on the calendar in RVA, but we plan to keep reaching new places and new people throughout the region. We also plan to keep writing music, but we want to let that happen naturally and not force it.
