Tugboat Annie

Superfriends (Sonic Bubblegum)
by Joshua Brown

Ultra-dreamy pop á la Dinosaur Jr with a Bryan Adams-y rasp. The style strikes me as formulaic, possessing many of the qualities I would normally cite to put bands down. But, try as I might, I just can’t say bad things about this release. Despite my initial reservations, I was singing the songs on Superfriends to myself in the shower or strolling around Jamaica Pond.

The production is excellent for the relatively small label that Sonic Bubblegum is. The quieter moments are crystal clear and our ears get to appreciate the full range of distortion in the noisier parts. If Tugboat Annie were one of the four elements they’d be air, specifically the smog-free, thin, cold air high above our everyday lives.