Quarantine-induced music has ribboned magic into the strangest of times. Artists free from the endless rush of tour are allotted unorthodox amounts of time for their minds to unfurl. Alicia Bognanno, known to the music world as Bully, returns with her third record SUGAREGG, released August 21st, 2020. “Where to Start” launched the project into cyberspace with raspy vocals, indelible bass-lines, and guitar riffs full of fun fury. This bouncy, cathartic punch of a song begs to be played live in a room of sweat-dripping, raucous punks. It is riot grrrl with the heart of a poet. “Where to Start” chronicles Bognanno’s bipolar II disorder, and her strife reflects artfully in the lyrics and accompanying video. The video is a frenetic colorful rush that feels like the inside of one’s brain, a dream visualized. Colors splash one after the other on screen, superimposed with footage of Alicia singing, playing bass, playing guitar, performing wildly in her home. We follow her on a journey of whim, desperation, and anger. Aligning with “I live for you to tear me apart,” three separate shots of Bognanno are shown of her holding a knife to her palm, undoing her braids, and wailing on guitar. The music video is a prism of mood. There is a grunge-like nature to the visuals; film grain, smudges, and distortion. From electric blue to deep red, the aesthetics give off a synesthetic quality. Vivid abstract flares and textures render the song a moving painting with Bognanno superimposed like a modern-art exhibit. The juxtaposition of color and Bognanno’s home feels like an autobiographical dreamscape. It is her likeness, her scrunched expression, guitar playing, and a bloody nose in the shower that feels incredibly personal, but dreamlike due to the ever-changing colors. Alicia splatters paint on a canvas while the lyrics “You turn me back into a child / erratic, desperate, sad, and wild” ring out. The agitated, manic nature of the lyrics and overdriven guitar melt perfectly together.
SUGAREGG is a capricious whirlwind of an album in rock music today. “Where to Start” is brimming with emotion, the fast-pulsing punk that one can lose themselves in, whether in a bedroom alone or on a run. The song is multidimensional, any mood (except for bedtime wind-down time) can enjoy this song. Now is the time to rock out. There are few artists who swell with the howling emotion of Bully in 2020. SUGAREGG demands a listen.