– ACADEMY 2, MANCHESTER –
Signed to the Frenchkiss record label and with their album ‘Wild Smile’ on release, Suckers have managed to join the pool of New York art pop bands that are currently enjoying much attention. Renowned for their psychedelic pop skirmishes, animated sounds and eccentric audibles, they have gained a reputation for being a band close the sound-scapes of Animal Collective.
They have been known to dress up in face paint and flamboyant attire, but they appear rather casual and at ease on stage. The band member simply known as Pan has a number of instruments at hand including a trumpet, boxes of electronic stuff and a bass, Quinn Walker has percussion and pre-recorded samples of magic just to the side of him. Austin Fisher on guitar and Brain Aitken on drums. All have the ability to sing and create soaring sweeps of harmonies.
‘Before Your Birthday Ends’ played mid set stands out, as the bass playing of Pan echoes elegantly under the vocals of Quinn who adopts a delicate falsetto voice throughout, joined with cascading guitars weaving and shimmering underneath. The actual sound the band manage to conjure up live is more rewarding than the recordings, they seem to have the ability to create a healthy and youthful mist.
‘A Mind I Knew’, is also top live, its stripped beginning of Walker’s sullen vocals and keyboard loop which is later to be joined by little skipping guitar parts, coloured by sighing guitar noises, steadily builds up. The whole song reaches the rare moment as the whole energy of the band gives you prickles on the back of your neck, ‘Get Your Body Moving’, has the same effect when played at the end of their set. The delicate lazy guitars start with a warm and drooping trumpet melody played by Pan (who seems to switch from instrument to instrument several times through each song) which melts over the top of Quinn’s voice, who adopts a low and melancholy tone. The song saunters to a dramatic and raw finale at the end with Quinn’s desperate almost shouty vocals joined by the other three members harmonized parts. When the song ends I think they know they have played a good set as they are all grinning.
Other highlights, ‘Black Sheep’, with its more popster sound, disco drumming and a nice fuzz bass. The little quirky guitar parts mincing through. ‘Easy Chair’ with its childlike swagger and its ‘all join in chorus’ make a light touch in the set.
The band’s energies seem to be in the same place which is why they produce such a good sound live. The main ingredients of their songs seems to be let them grow, reserve it and then progress to an expansive ending, although applied to most of their songs I’d that its a winning formula for Suckers.
