As the title suggests via their new album This Old World, Midwest Americana family-driven band Shannon Clark & the Sugar clearly have their values in a homespun realm that while the antithesis of punk, is rooted in the values of Americana. The record about the importance of family and having a support network: the down-home notion of being kind to one another
This Old World (out Sept. 8th) paints a sharp, heartfelt portrait of modern American life told through country, soulful folk & roots, and heartland rock with the blend of blood harmonies. The band consists of married couple Shannon (vocals, guitar) and Brittany Clark (percussion), their daughter Navie (vocals, piano), and their cousin through marriage Joey Howard (guitar, vocals). The band’s origins (minus Navie) started when they were teens playing in rock bands, even playing notable events like Warped Tour. The band split after Joey moved away to South Carolina. Years later he returned to their hometown of Greenville, OH, where they rekindled their friendship during the quarantine era and wrote this new album.
Glide is premiering the fervently emotive “Burn Down” from Shannon Clark & The Sugar that resonates with the narrative flair of early Lyle Lovett and the expansive roots rock colors of Rodney Crowell. The band turns a dire theme into a significant musical prayer of hope and redemption while glaringly reflect how the world can do a 180 on you in a split second.
“This song took on a life of its own, and once we had the melody, it came together quickly. There’s something eerie about the feel of this song when it starts; it’s almost uncomfortable, which led to the song development. We all experience loss in our lifetimes, and that can be hard to cope with. For my wife and I, losing our daughter was the hardest thing we ever had to endure. At times we were almost delirious, and life no longer felt real. It’s like you’re looking down on your life from above. I think that people, when they lose someone, that soul-crushing feeling can almost make you feel out of touch with reality and that’s what ‘Burn Down’ was. A man who had lost touch with what was real and started losing his grip on reality. It’s dark, but at its heart it’s just a sad love song.”
One Response
Great tune !