Punk and rock n' roll reviews from Lord Rutledge and friends
Thursday, May 28, 2020
Sugar Snow - "He Knows I Love Him Too Much"
Not so long ago, I reviewed a truly delightful song by Boston power pop band Kid Gulliver. Sugar Snow, the solo project of Kid Gulliver's lead singer Simone Berk, has just released something equally amazing. Sugar Snow entered Iso Booth: The Goffin and King Foundation's Quarantine Cover Contest...and was named one of the contest's 14 winners! After hearing Sugar Snow's entry, I can understand why it won! Berk chose to cover "He Knows I Love Him Too Much", written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King in 1961 for the Paris Sisters. Making a record under quarantine can be quite a challenge when you have to record at home. But Berk and producer Brian Charles came up with a creative way to not record at home. Charles worked in the studio and ran a mic out to Berk's car. That's right: they turned her car into a recording booth! What came out of this process is a truly stunning version of one of Goffin and King's most overlooked classics. It shows tremendous love for the lyrics and melody of the song as conceived by Goffin and King. But it doesn't just copy the original recording. This minimalist interpretation actually makes the song even more powerful. Berk's vocal is absolutely gorgeous, and it's mesmerizing to hear the way she feels every word she sings. The arrangement is perfect in its simplicity. Berk's vocal is the centerpiece of the song, blending beautifully with Charles's warm, twangy guitar track (My god, that tone!). This recording reminds me why I love cover songs. First and foremost, it honors the artistry of the songwriters. But it also demonstrates that making someone else's song your own is an art form in its own right. I think we've all pulled up besides someone who was singing in their car before, but never has it sounded this good! Check out the video below to witness the making of this song for yourself!
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