Kids At Risk – ‘ Sugar’

Kids At Risk – ‘Sugar’ (mp3)

I’m not sure what it is about Kids At Risk that makes them ‘neo-grunge,’ as they’re described in their press release. Maybe I just don’t know enough about neo-grunge. Admittedly this could maybe pass as a lighter Pixies song, but it still sounds like bright pop music before anything resembling grunge. But then maybe this song isn’t indicative of the rest of their stuff.

Tags and labels aside, ‘Sugar’ is very cool – smart pop music that’s tight but not shiny. Most impressively, it manages to make the refrain that repeats “you’re like sugar” plus other metaphors about having a “sweet tooth” and cravings not unbearably saccharine or twee. The messier middle 8 is what sells this song for me, with each band member taking a different vocal line and the guitars getting cranked up that little bit more.

www.myspace.com/kidsatriskband