Featuring a trio of outstanding songwriters in Ira Katz and brothers Matt and Brandt Huseman, Baltimore's The Greenberry Woods released two well reviewed albums in the mid-nineties before calling it a day. In 2018 they released House, a compilation of tracks recorded between 1989 and 1985 and performed a few reunion shows. Now, with the release of It’s All Good, Sugar…, Katz and the Huseman brothers are back along with new members Paul Krysiak (also a member of the band Splitsville with the Huseman’s) and Joe Parsons, and they haven’t missed a beat. The wistful, midtempo power pop of “Summer Song” gets things started and makes for the perfect opener. They pick the pace up with the short and fun uptempo “Waiting ‘Round For Something To Go Wrong,” followed by the jangly guitar driven “Whenever You Want Me To,” which has a very emotional and vulnerable vocal and handclaps accompanying the chorus. Bringing to mind bands like 20/20, “Lame Love Letter” is more of taut, new wave power pop track, and “Very Good Year” is a more straight-ahead, no frills, rock-tinged cut. They slow things down on “On The Day We Drowned,” a pretty, very atmospheric and dreamy tune featuring some really nice pedal steel from guest Brett Friedman and some great harmonies. With some strong Sixties musical references, “All I Want Is You” is more catchy, upbeat pop. Musically you can hear a little bit of a Dusty Springfield’s “I Only Wanna Be With You,” and there are lyrical snippets of The Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” and The Beach Boys’ “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.” With some very reflective lyrics, “That Won’t Make Me Love You” is a nice midtempo track with a little jangle. “The One That Makes You Happy” has a power pop undercurrent, but with a much heavier edge, while “That Girl” sounds like a long lost, old school Elvis Costello tune. The easygoing, midtempo power pop of “Leave The Light On” brings us to the lushly arranged, yet upbeat, piano driven closing track “December Boy”. A very impressive return for The Greenberry Woods that should please old and new fans alike.
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