The Sighs, “It’s Real”
It’s been 20 years since we last heard from Massachusetts rock band The Sighs-since the release of their last record, 1996’s “Different.” But after finding a box of early demos and analog tapes that were made at the band’s house studio back in the ’90s, the band found the inspiration to rework these songs and revisit the sounds that feel so revitalized now. With producer John DeNicola manning the boards at his studio in upstate New York, they approached the recording of these tracks with a newfound sense of creativity and freedom. The resulting sessions would form the basis of their forthcoming album, “Wait on Another Day,” due Sept. 8 via Omad Records.
On their latest single, “It’s Real,” the band roars through a power-pop environment where guitars lash out and melodies cut through the air in front of your face. Full of ecstatic hooks and driving rhythms, the track imagines what might happen if Big Star and The Replacements were ever to jam together in an enclosed space. There’s definitely a bit of nostalgia in their uproarious alt pop noise, but the band isn’t merely ceding to their desire to reclaim some past glories. The music is imbued with a fierce catchiness, giving the band a perfect foundation from which to refamiliarize people with their unique brand of primordial pop catharsis and revitalize a sound that hasn’t felt relevant in quite some time.