RARE BREW REVIEWS
By Rebecca Cullen
Long-time favourites Suris once again refuse to disappoint, releasing perhaps their most addictively interesting, melodically enchanting project yet.
The album Rare Brew showcases the UK-based duo at their very best, and promises a lasting collection of songs that continuously raise the bar for expressive, purposeful and alluring writing.
Astrosurf makes for a brilliant opener. A little Kate Bush-esque in tone and the contrast from delicacy to passion, the piano inflections, the melody and story.
Impact is maximised as the piece evolves, intriguing with its imagery and implications along the way. Even the subtle shifts from brightness to melancholy work well to keep things creative and fresh. The drama and pace of that middle-8 shift is also really well-crafted in furthering the uplift of the final section.
Shifting gears immediately is the follow-up This Is The City – dark and stylish, vocally gritty and captivating for imagery and short-lined progressions alike; easily memorable, catchy, and resolving beautifully for that chorus. ‘Walk don’t run’ resounds perfectly and quickly lures you in for a sing along.
Unexpected as ever, Suris lay the foundation for a consistently impressive, fearlessly original album, with songwriting as a clear strength but creative freedom and experimentation no doubt closely intertwined.
Things mellow out somewhat for Great Wide Open, and all the more so for a sultry Big Ship. Fleetwood Mac-esque as before, perhaps with hints of The Pretenders, yet still more notably rooted amidst the Suris sound and catalogue of artistry. Always these eighties rhythms and reverb-kissed vocals, the depths and the vastness, feels true to the band – alongside their uniquely expressive, fascinating writing.
Highlights include the piano-led story and heartfelt, empowering beauty of Hellion, a personal favourite, and the seductive rise and fall of an intimate and romantic Riverman; again evolving from simplicity to fullness in compelling waves of embrace.
Juxtaposition is also masterfully utilised throughout, Warrior Queen proving a fine example – from haunting minimalism to theatrical intensity and passionate, powerful rock presence.
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And as a closer, All Over Again is stunning – melodically quirky, simple, stylish, lyrically profound and inspiring – a song that rightfully leaves a lingering sense of contemplation, hopefully prompting stronger appreciation for the moment and the time that we have left. Another favourite, and the perfect way to end.
Musically supreme, endlessly original, gifting a sense of escapism and soul from the outset but later, on revisit, offering more and more lyrical insight and inspiration; complexities that reach out with increasing warmth each time you return.
The whole thing is superb, in short. Easily one of the best, most refreshing albums of the year thus far. Some threads remain to be discovered, the overall concept of Rare Brew to the details and poetry of the lyrics perhaps. Fortunately though, the music is a dream to listen to, so revisiting is a pleasure. Enjoy.
About Rebecca Cullen...
Rebecca Cullen is a musician and songwriter - and founding editor of Stereo Stickman - an online music magazine providing the latest in underground music news, as well as a platform through which unsigned artists can reach a wider audience.
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Crowd Reviews from
“Suris kissed the emerging light of the morning sun with their song All Over Again. A hopeful soul freshly exposed and vulnerable. The lyrics, vocals and instrumentals fit together seamlessly, creating a beautiful dream-like harmony.”
“This song's structure is so interesting and exciting and honestly feels otherworldly. It's amazingly complex and makes the hair stand up on my arms, so well done.”
“This is the kind of song that just about anybody can enjoy because your voice is inspiring and you really bring the music to life with your passion and your dedication. This is excellent music.”
“Overall, I would definitely have to say that this song is a masterpiece. Your singing talent is really captivating and inspiring to listen to as well.”
“The artists voice is so wonderful, all the instruments are absolutely amazing, the acoustic goes well with everything, it just sounds awesome…”
“I just love the voice of this singer. It's distinctive and distinguished. This priceless song has this right beat and right lyrics. Kudos to the band.”
“I had an amazing time listening to all her music, she is very talented and I hope she makes it far. The whole song was great, and all the instruments were on point.”
“Her music just makes me so happy, and I liked how the song just started with a piano and slowly introduced other elements to the song. Her voice is amazing.”
“I think that this song is perfectly-crafted and it is one of the best new songs that I have recently heard from a new artist…”
"The group has something special. Their sound is very different. I haven’t heard anything like if for a while and I just love it."
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"Interesting intro, Unique vocals…beautiful strong guitar and catchy beat. The kind of song you’d expect to hear in a film with a European dance club scene."
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"The song is great. Haunting and beautiful vocals…The melody is alluring and intriguing. The lyrics are powerful and well put together. They are both calming and seductive with a touch of edge thrown in. The instruments are stunning and zany. Wacky, different and ambitious and I think it is amazing."
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"Great sound to it. No 1 hit on an adult radio station. I’d buy this for a gift and would go to a concert. Maybe good song for a movie or a hit TV show as well."
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"A great example of a soft pop song with delicate harmonies that just work beautifully. Great melody with a chorus that takes you back to the 70s, it really captures a vintage feel with a modern edge. The brilliance of this track is the simplicity of the sound that plays behind a gentle and well thought vocal. Would be a great track to feature on a movie soundtrack."
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"This song is great. The introduction was alluring and engaging. The lyrics were passionate and something many people will be able to relate to. The vocals were strong and melodic. The background vocals and instrumentals gave the song a lot of emotion and feeling and created an atmospheric feel. I liked this song because it was alluring and fragile and I think it has a lot of commercial potential."
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"Beautiful, moving and truly romantic song with a retro-yet-timeless quality. I think it would make great background music to any meaningful movie scene."
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"The monumental beginning of the track opens the doorway to a smorgasbord of sounds. The beautiful vocals, paired with the highly experimental production concocts the perfect recipe for success."
Reviews of 'Absolute Zero' Video
By Michael McCarthy
"Absolute Zero” is the second single from SURIS’ album. And what a glorious single it is. Duo Lindsey and Dave Mackie — a real life couple — have truly created something special with Rare Brew, which we’ll be reviewing shortly. In the meantime, we just had to turn you onto “Absolute Zero,” which is one of the most stunning and breath-taking songs we’ve stumbled upon in months.
Lindsey’s voice has a very unique sound yet sounds instantly familiar. And she’s capable of making you feel multiple emotions all within the course of a single song, her voice sometimes seductive, sometimes standoffish and alternating between sounding grounded and ethereal. That’s quite a gift. Clearly, she was destined to make music and when we listen to “Absolute Zero” we almost believe in fate, thinking about how so many things had to happen to lead her to the point of crafting this song… It’s kind of mind-blowing.
In any case, give it a listen and make sure to watch the video, too. It’s one of the most original videos we’ve seen in years and it’s spell-binding at that.
By Michael Hayball
Suris is led by its two members, Lindsey and Dave Mackie, and they have a great origin story. They met at college, as some couples do, and began recording with only a tiny four track recorder. Their unique sound attracted bigwigs from Ensign Records and Polygram (!), and singer Lindsey even won a talent contest for Sky TV. This is their new single and subsequent video.
The video itself is a beautiful work, reminiscent of the “On” Video by Aphex twin. Set in the Desierto Del Tabernas, Spain, the environment itself conjures up the intimacy evoked by the singer’s warm, inviting voice. The lyrics themselves set the tone for the video. Lindsey sings in complex, intelligent ways about getting over a past lover. She sings, “After such a fire/you’d think there would be ash/Think your wrecking ball/had left me bereft/and yet my mouth is fresh….”Lindsey has an almost supernatural, witchy presence, which works with the frequent Fleetwood Mac comparisons Suris gets. She becomes conjured from the desert, along with faces and fingers made of rock and sand.
Suris is a solid group, and Absolute Zero wouldn’t be out of place on a play list of artists like Fleetwood Mac, Kate Bush, Ani DiFranco, Joni Mitchell or even contemporaries like Lorde. Definitely check them out…