After the wonderment of their first 4 track EP, this album seemed a
curiously lifeless affair. The EP was beautifully rough in it's
recording quality and it suited the energy and freshness of the music.
The CD I have is particularly quiet and a bit indistinct I think that
has affected my listening. I was really disappointed to begin with.
Listening to it for the last few nights is actually changing my view
quite radically. It's a good job I don't just write a review on two
or three listens. The same elements that made me like the earlier EP
are still there. The songs, the melodies, the guitar work are all
excellent. Ryan Gannon's voice is just so expressive - full of yelps
and sandpaper raspiness. Having the perfect overdriven guitar sound
and someone who knows exactly how to use it of course helps a bit.
The songs mainly deal with Ryan talking to somebody - personal,
melancholy, and emotionally articulate (easier to say things in songs
rather than real life, isn't it Ryan). So apart from a question about
the overall mix I have come to really like this record.
Perhaps there's a hint of too many tracks that are a bit similar - the musical pace and the instrumental mix remains pretty constant. Never did The Stokes any harm did it? And that brings up another issue - how do The Tuesday Suits compare to that other New York Band? Well, I get a much more intimate and personal feel from the Suits - stick me in a small, dark club and this is the band I would rather see.
