A Promising Debut E.P
The Van Susans have already planned out a novel detailing their rise to fame. I'm not kidding. It's called "The Melodic Life of the Van Susans" and it'll be available from "any good bookstore." I'm really not kidding. They've priced it at 9.99, but they haven't written it yet. I'm really, really not kidding. That's the type of band I believe the Van Susans to be. Determined in their success and rolling around ecstatically in the warm, furry glow of the musical cosmos.
The Van Susans release their debut E.P, "We Could Be Scenery" on Beatnik Geek Records and they seem to be revelling with excitement due to the brightness of their future. That warm, furry glow I speak of. As far as six-piece bands go, I was surprised to hear that the Van Susans are musically tight. Some bands fall apart under the weight of each musician's musical offerings, but each member of the Van Susans is doing something a little bit special. Vocalist Olly Andrews bawls softly in his London accent, delivering powerful enough emotion to set himself apart from any other vocalist I've heard attempt the same thing, while the Dullaway brothers (Ed, Rob and Tim) play off each other to the effect that I now believe sibling mind-reading to be true.
Reading through all of the bumph I could find about the Van Susans, the word "Pop-core" appears way too frequently. Yes there are elements of Pop-Punk that stand out amongst the E.P, but as for this hardcore element? It still eludes me. No, no, no, The Van Susans seem to be as far away from hardcore music as I could imagine. The E.P's lead song, 'Cha-Cha-Bang' opens with a Pop-Punk riff straight out of the book of Irish Folk and ends three minutes and thirty seconds later after being a genuinely fun song to listen to. On the flipside to this electric-heavy intro song are arguably two of the best songs from the E.P, 'Plans' and 'Glow.'
'Plans' and 'Glow' are steeped in melancholic piano, and while 'Plans' features some pretty firm violin playing by guest musician Caroline Atkinson, both songs are saturated with the sadness of heartbreak and the fever of the heartache that follows.
The Van Susans E.P "We Could Be Scenery" is available now for both physical and digital release and it's certainly worth keeping a close watch on the band. They might even get a chance to sell that autobiography soon.