Sugarcult’s debut disc is a quasi sugar-coated power pop album with punk overtones and a healthy dose of self-effacing humor. Escapism, skepticism, and a devil-may-care view of the world around them are the primary themes that weave their way into the lyrics on this high-energy stripped-to-the-bone collection by this frisky So-Cal quartet. As evidenced in the fiery anthem “Stuck in America,” vocalist Tom Pagontta joyfully proclaims “everyone’s talkin’ ’bout blowing up the neighborhood/all I ever wanted to do was get away.” “Saying Good-bye” is a pathos-filled paean of teenage heartbreak with an explosive chord progression so familiar that documenting it would seem like an accusation of plagiarism, which, in rock & roll of this nature, is an exercise in futility. “Bouncing Off the Walls” is yet another joust at the perils of romance, only this time the protagonist dips into his parent’s cocaine stash to relieve the pain. On Start Static, Sugarcult has mastered the don’t-bore-us-get-to-the-chorus approach to near perfection. – Tom Semioli