Album Mini-review: Suuns – Hold/Still
File Next to: Cocteau Twins, Clan of Xymox, Depeche Mode
Though there’s a dark and doomy undercurrent to the songs on Hold/Still, the group adheres to the basic tenets of melody. Suuns (pronounced “soons”) are clearly aiming for a krautrock-ish vibe on the eleven tracks, and that hypnotic aesthetic comes through loud and clear. But amid the left-field electronic squawks and jagged, droning guitar textures, there are hooks to be found within the music. The guitars on “UN-NO” sound like air raid sirens, and singer/guitarist Ben Shemie‘s half-spoken vocal style is alluring in its own way. The tension builds from the start of the unrelentingly stomping “Resistance,” and it’s both a surprise and a relief when – two minutes in – the piece reveals itself as an actual song. Producer John Congleton (Swans, St. Vincent, The Black Angels) helps give the group a focused sonic approach that is both eerie and inviting.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, will be published in 2021 by HoZac Books.