Suckers - "Candy Salad"

Artist: Suckers

Album: Candy Salad
Label: Frenchkiss Records

Release Date: April 24^th, 2012

Review by: Sean Kayden

Brooklyn art rockers Suckers strive for more of a straightforward record this time with their sophomore release, “Candy Salad.” The band’s debut album, “Wild Smile” was critically acclaimed and an undeniably bold, albeit inconsistent, experimental opus. I was somewhat of an ardent fan of their first record, despite the irregularity of each consecutive track. The songs off “Candy Salad” are definitely more communal than the ones from its successor. The follow-up release may not be what diehard fans of the band have come to expect, but Suckers have successfully grown both lyrically and musically. The latest collection of tunes consists of tight arrangements, catchy hooks, and an overall sprawling soundscape. It’s hard to knock the band for taking a different direction with this newest effort. They’ve stepped out of their own comfort zone even though they’ve seemed to enter a zone of slight familiarity within the confines of the genre.

           
There is a sufficient of things to enjoy from “Candy Salad.” The popper resonance, the anthem-like tunes, and consistent vibe throughout are anything to snarl at. The band even slows the tempo down a bit with “Leave The Light On.” It starts off with a dreamy, twinkling cadence and then sails into a peaceful chorus. Toward the end, we have “Roses,” an exquisite, bare bones piano driven song. A lot of the songs off “Candy Salad” are really beautifully arranged. The reason that “Candy Salad” may not be as critically acclaimed as “Wild Smile,” is because how they’ve taken a so-called safe route. They took bold risks with their first endeavor and right out of the gate people were talking about this much-buzzed about band back in 2010. Now that two years have past, the tides have certainly changed. The hype became calm on the front end and Suckers were in need to make some waves yet again. The way they went about it may upset their avid supporters from the get-go, but don’t be fooled by their own frustration. Suckers have successfully avoided the common sophomore slump curse and I believe appear to be further complete than ever before.

           
The closest tune you’re going to get to the likes of something off “Wild Smile” is “George.” The tribal resonance within the instrumental aspect of the song will transport you back to the days of Suckers circa 2010. In the end, album number two is an entirely comprehensive, ebullient, elated experience. It’s a happy record that will guide you into the summer effortlessly with its pure sunshine tunes. I commend Suckers for mixing things up. Sure, it’s not groundbreaking in the overall soundsphere, but a significant leap forward for a band that undoubtedly possesses a copious amount of raw talent.

Key Tracks: “Going Nowhere”, “Figure It Out”, “Leave The Light On”, “Charmaine”

Grade: 8.5 out of 10 

Published by Mountain Views News on May 5th, 2012
http://mtnviewsnews.com/v06/htm/n18/p10.htm