"Hydrogen Child" by Super Water Sympathy

April 23. 2013 | By Gabe Rosenberg

CRAVE4pDigipak

Super Water Sympathy
Hydrogen Child
[In Music We Trust Records]

When rock bands want to reach the skies with their music, they look to a powerful lead singer to deliver them there. Super Water Sympathy is precisely that type of band, and Ansley Hughes is precisely that frontwoman. On their second full length, Hydrogen Child, the Vans Warped Tour veterans jump from rock balladry to catchy pop gems with Hughes singing strongly over strings, synths, and guitars aplenty.

Although the instruments stay pretty consistent throughout – bleeding into more of a droning soundscape than anything – they’re put to use in a dozen songs that all try to out-epic each other. Hughes’ Florence the Machine impression on album opener “Uh Oh!” is balanced out by melodic guitar work. “Sunday School Dress” keeps a lighter touch throughout its verses until the

hook-tastic and teasing chorus lay it on thick, while “Anthem” is just that— a large-scale, stadium-filling, chorus-for-the-heavens anthem. But it’s when Hughes belts “I will make you believe” that we”re truly engaged.

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