Album Review

Van Susans – We Could Be Scenery

• 8th Jul 2011

Tip-toeing over the shallow footsteps of melodic indie poop cruiser such as The Upper Room and, to a lesser extent Air Traffic is the overall impression given off from this debut EP by the Bromley sextet, Van Susans. ‘Cha Cha Bang’, blends together a bleeding heart with the laboured and mildly intoxicated vocals of Olly. His contribution does not possess enough variety to match the changing instrumental moods. This, along with lame and uninspiring lyrics means that the crunching, adroit percussion of Rob Dullaway is too little too late, when it arrives.

A shift in emphasis to a stirring key-led accompaniment and a slower, hovering vocal gait, ‘Bones (remixed)’, added to more meaningful and yearning lyrics represents a step forward. Even so it’s encroaching too much onto the mainstream melodic indie-pop category, in order to be able to leave more than a lasting impression.

‘Plans’, sees the winding strings of Caroline Atkinson wrapping around the stepping drum-beats of Rob, providing a forum for some sincere, well delivered and even provocative vocals to wander off from. Unfortunately, they do not appear, instead the vocals are kept on a lead and do not complement the broadness and imagination of the strings and percussion in particular, shame. A stirring key triggered PopCore jaunt, ‘Glow’ strokes along the pleading  pop vocals that communicates well enough, the confusion attached to looking back on feelings of love and loss.

 This is largely a frustrating EP in which the Van Susans seem to be contented to play within themselves and rely melody rather than depth to capture interest. What’s more frustrating is that there are times when they show glimpses of wandering potential, suggesting that a lame approach isn’t a necessity for them.
Rating: 2.5