Live Review

Suspire – Captain’s Rest, Glasgow

• 27th Apr 2011

Glasgow indie band Suspire played a short set last night at the press launch of their new single, Salvation Sister, which will be released in June on Clay Davis Records. The single was produced by Echo & The Bunnymen guitarist Gordy Goudie who is a fan of the band.

The night opened with an acoustic performance from Brian Cunningham, who hails from Kirkintilloch, to the north of Glasgow. Cunningham has a powerful voice and his songs, written on a variety of topics from politics to love, allowed him to demonstrate a fine vocal range. He has a nice line in humorous introductions too.

Suspire started off with Set In Stone, the b-side to the single and previous release Legislate for Luck. With the small stage bathed in an eerie red light, there was a slightly spooky atmosphere in the room, but the quality of the music shone through.

For a three piece band these guys manage to generate a lot of power. Their sound is fairly simple in design but the energy is high and they have a tight feel, confident in each other’s abilities.

Paul Duffin takes the majority of the vocals, as well as playing guitar and occasional keyboards. His brother Mark is on the bass guitar and backing vocals, offering some nice harmonies. And Claire Kelly on the drums sets a relentless beat with her potent playing.

The single itself was saved for late in the set. Salvation Sister kicks off with a nice guitar hook and the soft vocals of the opening verse soon give way to meaty guitar chords and a big chorus. The second verse has a subtle keyboard part before the chorus is repeated. And the track ends with an impressive drum flourish that puts an emphatic full stop to a fine three minutes of music.

The night finished, aptly enough, with Goodbye, a slower tempo track with an impressive bass line that soared before ending in one final burst of musical energy.

Suspire are a talented band and their partnership with an experienced musician could enable them to progress further in the music industry. In Salvation Sister they have a single that deserves to be heard.