Sugar Red Drive, ‘No Apologies’ – Song Review

Sugar Red Drive are serious when it comes to down-and-dirty rock ‘n’ roll. The guys --- packing vocalist Archit Tripathi, guitarist Jim Knauss, bass player Davey Alexander and drummer P.J. Gasperini --- are set to uncheck their sophomore album, ‘A Story of Signs,’ on Nov. 1, and the release totes production by rock dignitary Skidd Mills (who in essence “discovered” Saving Abel) and Brain Howes, the latter of Hinder, Daughtry and Puddle of Mudd fame.

Sugar Red Drive are bred in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., but you’d never know that from Tripathi’s thick, gruff Southern-tinged drawl. On ‘No Apologies,’  the debut single off ‘A Story of Signs,’ his grungy delivery is reminiscent of Kurt Cobain or Wes Scantlin, and at one point, even Days of the New’s Travis Meeks shines through a bit. Overall, “No Apologies” paints a riff-heavy, hard rock picture, with relationship-gone-bad lyrics and Southern rock influences.

“Hey, I don’t really need you, but I’m gonna keep you … I’m only gonna call you, baby, when I want you,” asserts Tripathi in the first few verses of the ditty. From there, thumping rhythms and plenty of guitar muscle enters, making the song build all the right moves for a modern rock release. As the anthemic chorus melds into a brisk, sparse, laid-back bridge and then spins back into the thumping chorus, the band shows they have control of dynamics and don’t need to keep it to a one-dimensional track.

‘No Apologies’ is a simple but strong track from a band hoping to make an impression on the modern rock panorama, and with a catchy style and loads of energy, they make a good argument to turn ears.

Listen to Sugar Red Drive, 'No Apologies'