Toronto-based quintet Suds make pretty straightforward rock. They're likeable, sure, but there's something too easy about their sound that made them hard to really love. I'll get to that shortly.
"Oohs" and "ahhs" ruled the night, and it was, unequivocally, pleasant; songs like "Paradise Cinema" got the crowd at the front moving, and simple chord progressions and rhythms made for an enjoyable if standard evening of indie rock fare.
The band know how to put together a song; elements like the pre-chorus breakdown, the subdued bridge, the suspended chords and sweet resolve all play a part of their classic brand of songwriting, and the band members have fun doing it. By they end of the night, they'd settled into a nice groove, which made their jangly, Smiths-esque penultimate track a definite highlight.
But here's the crucial thing: Suds craft singable songs, but not memorable ones, and that's important in the world of indie rock guitars/keyboard/drums/bass combinations. In other words, what sets this band apart from the swaths of bands employing this same simple configuration?
If Suds can figure this out, they'll be golden. For now, they are merely good.
"Oohs" and "ahhs" ruled the night, and it was, unequivocally, pleasant; songs like "Paradise Cinema" got the crowd at the front moving, and simple chord progressions and rhythms made for an enjoyable if standard evening of indie rock fare.
The band know how to put together a song; elements like the pre-chorus breakdown, the subdued bridge, the suspended chords and sweet resolve all play a part of their classic brand of songwriting, and the band members have fun doing it. By they end of the night, they'd settled into a nice groove, which made their jangly, Smiths-esque penultimate track a definite highlight.
But here's the crucial thing: Suds craft singable songs, but not memorable ones, and that's important in the world of indie rock guitars/keyboard/drums/bass combinations. In other words, what sets this band apart from the swaths of bands employing this same simple configuration?
If Suds can figure this out, they'll be golden. For now, they are merely good.
