aaamusic | On 05, Jun 2012

Goddammit this is refreshing. Earlier today I reviewed what might be my 17’439th boring, derivative post-hardcore band and the feeling of switching from that to something as thrillingly unique as the debut from Irish Post-Rockers Funeral Suits is better than sex. Probably. By now, more so than ever before, it is very difficult for a guitar band to sound unique. Considering guitar bands have been more or less the dominant force of pop music for just over half a century the chances of their being a new Joy Division or Velvet Underground are slimming. In many ways this is a good thing, as it focuses more on whether the band in question can write great songs rather than whether they can innovate for the sake of innovating, but Funeral Suits have perfected the best of both words, they sound unquestionably like Funeral Suits more than any other band, and they’ve written some of the most delectable pop/rock songs I’ve heard in a while.
It’s very rare that a band should be so on the money when talking about themselves, much less on Facebook, when a band is much more likely to say they’re influenced by Optimus Prime than something genuinely representative of their music. However, on their band bio they say that their music is “expansive without being overblown, heavy without being menacing and all the more thrilling for their restraint”, and they’re dead on, everything is there for a reason, every heavy synth bass line is their to benefit the song, same deal with every spiralling, ethereal guitar line and every note that comes from singer Brian James’ mouth. Every time they turn up the thermostat and rock out, like on album opener Mary’s Revenge, it feels as valid and natural as the albums quietest moment, the entirely acoustic We Only Attack Ourselves. Everything in between is just as inspired, from the ridiculously exciting crescendo of Hands Down to Machines Too’s mesh of indie guitars and electronics that screams “This is how you do it!” at The Big Pink’s second album.
It’s not perfect, closer I Still Love The High is interesting but doesn’t need to be there, ending the record on a surprisingly disturbing note after such an energetic, melodic album, but for the most part this is outrageously good, joining the ranks of The Maccabees and The Joy Formidable as guitar bands doing truly unique things with their time. Highly recommended.

★★★★★

Will Howard