SUKH – Heading East
Fun-fact, singer/songwriter SUKH may be the first bona fide doctor/musician that we’ve ever had the pleasure of reviewing here at buffaBLOG. In his decade-plus career, SUKH has drawn from his experiences in the medical field to create a hopeful and uplifting brand of pop rock. His latest offering is the eight-song LP Heading East, and we think you’ll agree – it’s exactly the kind of music I’d want my doctor creating.
If Heading East is your introduction to SUKH, a listen through his impressive catalog might surprise you – his 2022 album Age of Strangers is dark, almost anxious at times, with spiraling guitars, introspective lyrics, and minor-chord mentalities (see the jaunty blues-inspired “Don’t Fall Behind” or the crushing crescendo of “Rendezvous”). Heading East feels like a genuine shift in both tone and mindset, full of lighthearted pop rock songs that go down with ease. Let’s just say while Age of Strangers might be the right dose of Robitussin (TM) to soothe your nagging cough, Heading East is that tasty spoonful of Triaminic (TM) that always made you feel better as a kid. Heavy-handed metaphors aside (we promise not to make any more jokes about medicine), Heading East is a lovely and soul-healing listen that could mend any broken heart.
“Kind” opens up the album with a bouncy drumbeat that blooms into a sparkling, guitar-driven ditty. SUKH’s easy-going vocals glide over the music here, layered thick with chorus-laden leads, plunking electric pianos, and pep-in-your-step rhythm guitar. I’m more of a heart wrenching guy myself, but as I stare out my rainy front window writing this, I feel a little spark of hope burning bright in my brain. “Kind” hits in the same way that a song from The Sundays might hit – think “Summertime.” Follow up song “For The Road” injects a bit of country ramble into this intoxicating album – with its snare drum shuffle and nimble bassline, it certainly holds the title of album outlier, but it’s a welcome one.
Even the ballads on Heading East smack like a silver lining. “Far” reminds me of 90s greats Fastball with it’s tasteful, organ-tinged longing. I’d consider the next song, “Conquered,” its sister song, though it hits a little bit more like an 80s slow jam than its predecessor. Expect warm pads filling every empty space while squiggly synth leads pound out hooks for days. Album closer “If You Are” fits this category too, with its pulsing keyboard bass beating time into your chest like a racing heartbeat.
There’s an old saying that “happiness writes white” – i.e. it’s easier to write about doom-and-gloom than it is to write about genuine joy. SUKH seems to have unlocked some sort of key to writing songs about love and happiness – see album highlight “Faith,” which could easily be someone’s wedding song. Big piano chords slam hard in the choruses here – he even nails down a goosebump-inducing guitar solo. Speaking from a fellow writer’s perspective, there’s something so difficult about putting heartfelt words to paper.. but SUKH has no problem laying his heart on the line with reckless abandon – see below:
Blowing in the breeze
Swimming in the sea
Because my love for you is free
We could grow older with each other you know
So will you trust me?
Heading East is available now (September 20th, 2024). Check out the lyric video for “Faith” below, or, add your favorite song to your favorite Spotify or Apple Music playlist. Find all the different ways to stay engaged with SUKH through this helpful link as well.
Categorised in: Album Reviews
This post was written by Nick Sessanna