Sugar Glyder

Charlotte, NC surely has something to call their own in SUGAR GLYDER – a dynamic blend of pop, ambience, and grit. Some instant question marks might cross one’s mind, the first being – WHAT IS A SUGAR GLYDER? The answer: a primarily nocturnal marsupial with a pungent odor and bizarre noise habits; somewhat fitting for a rock band touring the country in a van. All joking aside, the real truth behind the name lies in its longevity and survival. Sugar gliders maintain the ability to glide for incredibly long distances with their legs stretched, giving them an advantage over the world at large. The real-life human SUGAR GLYDER – Daniel Howie, Chris Rigo, Robby Hartis and Bobby Mathews – share this life-advantage in their charismatic debut album The Eyes: They See (TETS), produced by none other than Steven Haigler (The Pixies, Brand New, As Tall As Lions). “Our minds are very melodically and rhythmically driven. That said, Steven's got an amazing ability to see through all of that and focus on the bigger picture,” says vocalist Daniel Howie on the recent collaboration with Haigler at the boards. “He really has a vision of how the frequencies and fullness fit together and play off each other.” Bits and pieces of The Killers and Incubus shine through Howie’s vocals, while the guitar work of Chris Rigo brings forth the pop element of acts like Jukebox the Ghost and Passion Pit. The Eyes: They See, due out March 5th, will be SUGAR GLYDER’s first record since their self-produced debut EP Lovers at Lightspeed, which received an unprecedented amount of acclaim after its 2011 release. So much, in fact, that the record landed SG a SXSW showcase in 2011 where they met their current label ORG Music, and the rest is history. Most recently, the band has dropped their visually captivating 3D video rendition of “Lost in the Woods” (directed by Josh Stauffer), the second single from TETS. SUGAR GLYDER balances the elements. Too much of anything is a bad thing, and it seems that the 4-piece indie/pop outfit has put together a winning formula, mixing the absolute best parts of just about everything. Fitting in on the road with bands from Neon Trees and Manchester Orchestra to HRVRD and Silversun Pickups is a tall order. Daniel Howie states, “We are untrained musicians, learned our instruments ourselves in the spirit of unbridled creativity.” Untrained, unbiased, and universal. “We aim to please the masses and the musically critical,” continues Howie. Perhaps the masses and the musically critical have found their happy place. Official Merch Store: www.youtube.com/planetsugarglyder