Sugardrum

Just recently it seems I’ve reviewed an increasing number of singer/songwriter albums and sometimes no matter how hard you try, it can be difficult to differentiate one from another. No insult intended to anyone - that’s just the way it is. Then again, it’s doubly refreshing when you find one that possesses a clear differentiation factor. ‘Where Once Were Roads’ from Sugardrum (aka Nigel Bunner) has that distinguishing touch – searching vocals and finely fingerpicked acoustic guitar combine to deliver appealing, tender tales, and for good measure some songs include well-placed cello and keyboard electronica touches.

Apparently, Sugardrum is a ‘musical umbrella’ under which Nigel Bunner purveys his softly engaging music. Be that as it may, Nigel can certainly write a melodic hook and produces some fine songs. It’s often hard for artists to show an audience the spread of their talent through the restrictions of an EP but this one promises much (although including the lyrics would be good for its intricate tales). ‘Where Once Were Roads’ features only four songs but there’s enough here to await the expected album with interest. Such as the gentle, questing of ‘Dancers in a Painting’ offering its story of changes and resignation, the emphatic understanding of growing up implicit within ‘School Friends’ complete with echoing cello and the layered expectation of discovery within ‘Bubble Clouds’.

From a deft touch on the acoustic guitar, a certain gift for melody and a distinctive voice this EP is the taster that should attract people to the album. You can find Sugardrum and ‘Where Once Were Roads’ on www.sugardrum.com - Folk Words

Sugardrum reminds of some other high quality folk acts like Badly Drawn Boy and Sufjan Stevens. One of the best parts of the song though have to be the music video, featuring a “home-made” video game that goes perfectly with the song. Make sure to watch it below. - Philip Friedman

Sugardrum reminds of some other high quality folk acts like Badly Drawn Boy and Sufjan Stevens. One of the best parts of the song though have to be the music video, featuring a “home-made” video game that goes perfectly with the song. Make sure to watch it below. - Philip Friedman

Sugardrum reminds of some other high quality folk acts like Badly Drawn Boy and Sufjan Stevens. One of the best parts of the song though have to be the music video, featuring a “home-made” video game that goes perfectly with the song. Make sure to watch it below. - Philip Friedman

Video Review - For Folks Sake

Last, but absolutely not least, comes Sugardrum, an acoustic storytelling project centered around musician and web designer Nigel Bunner, who both performed the music and created/directed the video for this wonderful deconstruction ofNew York, New York, and has played as Sugardrum both solo and with friends at a growing set of folk festivals and hip gatherings in his native UK. Our history with this musician is sparse, to date – it’s hard to move past the cover, honestly, which we offer as true testament to its power – but anyone who can find and control the ringing, fragile suspensions of Nick Drake’s brittle branch of the singer-songwriter folkstream in the bawd and blare of Sinatra’s famous paean to the city that never sleeps certainly bears watching. - Cover Lay Down

Sugardrum is a flexible collaboration built around the works of singer/songwriter Nigel Brunner and his predominently story songs. In the live arena Sugardrum are as likely to be unplugged playing a forest glade as sharing a stage. "Where Once Were Roads" may not be able to catch that spontiety but it does showcase a band that have a real sense of freedom around their music, single voices, harmonies, subtle instrumentation all help create and EP that has a very natural rhythm that feels as much a narrative as the poetic composition of the lyrics. - Fatea Records