First hitting the music scene in 1996 with their only hit, “Sucked Out,” Superdrag is a band that should have been big, but it just didn’t seem to be in the cards for them. They got caught in the backwash of grunge-lite bands that polluted the airwaves and never really had a chance. With a sound that evokes the Kinks, as well as various other British Invasion bands like the Turtles and the Animals as well as even the king of them all, The Beatles, they are nothing like the 7Mary3s and Silverchairs of the world. Amid raucous drums, rock-steady bass and always tuneful melodies, their sound wasn’t necessarily as ground-breaking as it was endearing. Their no-nonsense formula of simple chords and plaintive lyrics just never broke through.

Superdrag put out a string of good-to-great albums that are all eminently listen-able and are best enjoyed when played loud. This is the music that you listen to while playing pool with friends at a local hang-out or air-guitar to while driving down the highway or use to drown out your sorrow after a bad breakup or blare to giddily dance around to after falling in love. Superdrag contains all of the essential building blocks of a healthy musical diet, and it’s high in fiber.

Their last proper album, Last Call For Vitriol, released in 2002, was much more laid-back and heartfelt than the previous three and was arguably their best effort to date. Following the subsequent tour to support the album, the band went on hiatus, which is industry-speak for “broke up.”

After the breakup, lead singer John Davis turned to Christianity and recorded a few Christian-themed albums and worked as a studio musician. The other band members continued to be involved music in various forms. Last fall, they returned from hiatus (got back together) and played a few shows. Buoyed by the success of the shows and the rediscovered joy of playing music together, they have entered the studio to record a new album, which is currently in the works.

I discovered Superdrag late in life, being vaguely aware of “Sucked Out” and pushed into buying Last Call for Vitriol by my friend, Kelly, I quickly fell for them hook, line and sinker. As with many of the bands that I discovered later in life (The Replacements, Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, Apples In Stereo, The Thermals, etc) I was baffled that they were not insanely popular and playing before sold-out arenas on a regular basis.

I remain convinced that there’s an alternate universe where the bands that I love are all world-famous and revered for their craft and the crap you hear on pop radio is relegated to relative, if not total obscurity. Superdrag is definitely one of the bands that would be on the top of the heap in that alternate universe.

In any case, I feel that it’s important that you know about these bands. Whether it’s for my own sanity or the well-being of these bands, I continually push them on my friends and family, often going as far as buying albums for people to get them into a band I know in my heart of hearts that they’d love if they just gave it a chance.

Well, I want you all to listen to Superdrag. I know that you’d love them, if you just gave them a chance.

Here, have an mp3…

Superdrag - Keep It Close To Me