Artist: SASU
Title: SASU
Genre: Alt-Pop / Post-Punk
Release Date: 8th December 2021
Label: Foska Records
Review Flash
It’s taken ten years for German alt-types SASU to finally release an album, which shows either supreme confidence, indifference or laziness. After a spoken-word intro by author James Reich from his short story ‘The Cowboy’, ‘Downtown’ immediately reveals why the band once toured with PHILIP BOA, and also - rather oddly - sounds like THE EXPLODING BOY. In fact, reference points are littered throughout, and there’s even a bit of subdued DAVID BOWIE on ‘Little Luck’. It’s all nicely eccentric, a sort of quirky looseness running throughout the nine tracks on offer - sadly that looseness seems to have burbled over into the production, which is awful. At times the amateur sound, with vocals dipping in and out of prominence and a hissy detachment that normally comes with extreme drunkenness, threatens to sink this. Which is a pity, as there are some interesting ideas knocking about. But despite the press release promising a kind of garage ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN it really doesn’t deliver. Instead, it presents a goofy-limbed flail through the sounds of boys in their first band, circa 1979, rehearsing in the drummer’s dad’s shed, and imagining that first, glorious record contract. Bless.
Conclusion: The songs are ok. The sound is dreadful. Now go away and come back in another ten years.
Rating: 6 / 10
