Sugar Ray – Sugar Ray

Sugar Ray
Artist: Sugar Ray
Title: Sugar Ray
Label: Atlantic
Rating: 8/10

Sugar Ray has gone from making metal to what may best be called adult contemporary. Saying that, Sugar Ray has yet to lose their appeal to teens, perhaps more or less due to their frontman’s good looks and sugary hooks.

“Answer The Phone” is the perfect example of Sugar Ray’s staying power. Their songs grow on you. Even when they don’t sound so great the first time around, you find yourself singing to them long after. For example, “When It’s Over” is par for the course. “Under The Sun” is more toned down, and the scary thing is that everything Mark McGrath is singing about I too remember. Am I getting old or what?

“Waiting” and “Ours” slow it down. They are almost ballads but never get that lovey- dovey. And just to mix it up they shoot for some ska-flavored sunshine on “Words To Me”. “Just A Little” extends Sugar Ray to a more mature bunch, but it’s the Rolling Stone influenced “Disasterpiece” that blew my mind. Oh, Sugar Ray, all I ask is that you give us more of these rock hall anthems.

Sugar Ray isn’t going anywhere and may be around longer than their boxing namesake. Though they have taken a few blows here and there, the victories have been piling up. Sugar Ray are no longer just contenders; they’re the undisputed champions of the three-minute anthem.

+ rae gun


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