Album Review: Nic Cester - Sugar Rush

After selling over six million albums with Australia's answer to Oasis, Jet frontman Nic Cester is back with a tight and fuzzy solo record.

Far warmer and more psychedelic than anything Cester has previously created, Sugar Rush is likely to attract the Tame Impala crowd right in time for festival season. Filled with synthesisers, heavily processed guitars, brass instruments and organs, the album manages to stay sonically interesting throughout the entirety of its 12-song run. Cester wails, croons and howls across the musical landscape of his band in a fairly standard but pleasurable and impressive manner. Punchy songs like Psichebello recall the twisting acid melodies of '60s psych bands like Strawberry Alarm Clock and The Zombies. Meanwhile, songs like Hard Times and Who You Think You Are help break up the bangers with danceable melancholia.

Despite its fantastic sonic palette, the more average songs on Sugar Rush suffer the unfortunate fate of often mentally running together thanks to their compositional similarities. For an enjoyable solo debut that's remarkably different than the music that previously made him an international success, Cester ought to feel proud of Sugar Rush. The Australian psychedelic revival has found a new star in this hard rocker.