Rob’s Album Of The Week: Bully’s Sugaregg

It’s an understated trend, but there have been a lot of bands over the years that started with a concrete lineup and now have a sole constant member. Queens Of The Stone Age, Primus and Social Distortion are good examples of this. Alicia Bognanno from the Nashville alternative rock act Bully finds herself in the same boat after taking the reigns of a band that originally started as a trio. The product of these changes and upheavals is the third album, Sugaregg, that was released via the legendary Seattle label Sub Pop on August 21. Bognanno fine tunes her songwriting in numerous ways while expanding her talents and reaching new heights.

On the new album, Bognanno handles all of the songwriting while longtime touring drummer Wesley Mitchell and bassist Zach Dawes round out the sounds. The rhythms and riffs that are unleashed in various tracks are stellar while there are also a few melodic songs as well. John Congelton from the Dallas rock act The Paper Chase handles the production in amazing fashion. He captured the grit and energy Bognanno brings in a way that harks back to the sounds of 80’s alt-rock records. The whole thing from beginning to end exhibits music that sparks emotion in genuine ways.

August is almost over and I’m already aching to get to the finish line of this crazy, messed up and stupid year. There is a question that needs to be…