Shannon Clark and the Sugar’s latest single is a stirring anthem that combines upbeat rhythm, catchy melodic hooks and rousing electric guitar. ‘This Old World’ tackles a range of challenging subjects, from gun violence to mental health and gender identity. It’s full of empathy and sensitively done, touching on each subject before focusing on hope and positivity in the soaring choruses: “Don’t let this world, bring you down.” Never afraid to address big issues like this, Shannon Clark and the Sugar always deliver heartfelt, emotive songs that we can relate to and find ourselves in. Thanks, perhaps, to the family connections within the band, the vocal harmonies are also beautifully done.
Clark says of the song and video: “The music video for ‘This Old World’ was shot with our good friend and Emmy-nominated director, Shawn Spitler, as well as Adam Montgomery. We used all our friends and family as the actors. We wanted to paint a heartfelt picture of modern American life. People are dealing with a lot of heavy things, from anxiety to gender identity. Sometimes it all feels so heavy with no way out, but we feel everyone should have a voice and respect to voice it. Unity and understanding is something that should honestly come easy. We all live under the same flag and should enjoy the same freedoms. Don’t let the world bring you down! We are in this together.”
This single is the title track for the band’s forthcoming album, which is due out on 8th September 2023. The new record was produced by Justin Weaver (The Chicks) and a host of quality collaborators contributed, including Michael G. Ronstadt (nephew of Linda Ronstadt) on cello and bass. Clark notes: “Working with Mark Howard on the last record was the first time I felt validated as an artist. We were readjusting how we look at the world throughout the pandemic. Now, we matured in our presentation of the material with Justin on this new record. We’re tighter as writers and playing as a band. This is more who we really are musically and as a family. This record is a new spiritual path for us.”
The Midwest group blend heartland roots rock with soulful country, creating a sound that’s full and layered, bringing to mind the likes of Tom Petty. The band consists of husband and wife Shannon (vocals, guitar) and Brittany Clark (percussion), with their daughter Navie supplying vocals and piano, and their cousin Joey Howard on guitar and backing vocals. Family is key to this band as Shannon explains: “Everyone has a good person in their life to get through the hard times. For me, that’s my wife. She’s my best friend. She encourages me in music and in our family. My problems are typically my own doing, and she’s always there to give me perspective and keep me on the good path.” Enjoy.
