Clutter banish cynicism with the aptly named Sugar Rush

So when someone tells you about a new band doing interesting things in a grungy, punk-pop vein, it can be all too easy to roll your eyes and assume that it's all been done before, and better. But sometimes curiosity wins out, you press play, and a song like “GirlVsHeart” hits you full in the face with crashing drums and gleefully thrashing guitar. Instantly you’re hooked and lock into a record that turns out to be a stomping joyride of youthful angst and, along the way, offers up a few surprises. This is Sugar Rush, the debut album by Swedish twenty-somethings Clutter who emerged from the Stockholm underground back in 2024 after signing with DIY rock label PNKSLM. Made up of singers Hilda Ander and Emma French, who alternate between guitar and bass, plus guitarist Ove Jerndal and drummer Ville Scott, Clutter's songs are anthems to the agony and ecstasy of growing up, or frankly just existing, and ricochet around the room with barely contained energy. In that sense, the title of the album is perfectly apt. Taking their cues from a short list of classic indie touchstones, Clutter reach back to ’90s grunge bands such as early Veruca Salt and Sonic Youth at their most concise and appro...