Album Review

Funeral Suits – Hands Down

• 15th Oct 2012

The Funeral Suits released their latest studio offering back in June and so far the band have let loose 3 fairly sturdy singles from the band’s debut album, Lily of the Valley. It is now time for the 4th track to be released from that album and the winner? ‘Hands Down’.

The Irish trio, made up of Brian James on vocals, guitar and synth, Greg McCarthy on drums and Mik McKeogh on bass and synth, have been busy making a name for themselves over the past 6 months with singles that capture the collectives fresh and unique sound, a sound that has been helped along by the production talents of none other than Stephen Street who has been behind some of indie’s biggest successes including Blur’s ‘Parklife’, releases by Kaiser Chiefs and Babyshambles as well as all but two Cranberries studio releases.
‘Hands Down’ is in no rush at all as it takes its time ushering us into the number with a gentle instrumentation courtesy of a complimenting guitar picked opening. About a minute in the momentum begins to build but it isn’t till the closing 60 seconds that the tempo really takes off and all hell breaks loose – in a good way. Rolling drums overlap front man Brian James’ wailing vocals and some meaty guitar riffs ending the track on a high. Vocally the track isn’t too demanding on James who surrenders the track to the instruments and lets the bands musical talents shine through here, leaving it uncluttered and simple yet very effective as a single.

Previous singles have displayed this band as somewhat aficionados of finely crafted yet angst laden rock pennings and that seems to be a signature that the band have no intention of shaking as Hands Down is quick to show off that stamp in all its glory, perhaps less so that previous single release but nonetheless, it is out on display here. If Funeral Suits can continue to release singles like ‘Hands Down’ we are in for a treat.