Published on Jul 16, 2013
Fixtures on the live circuit in Britain for the last couple of years, Et Tu Brucè is crashing the States in 2013 by touring with the Zombies and releasing their debut, Suburban Sunshine. That live show may be the key to understanding these guys, because there isn’t a lot for non-British Invasion fans to hang their hat on here.
That’s not to say this is a mediocre disc; it is well-played, energetic, and shows promise. But all too often the band shows their British influences without adding much original language. Lead singer and co-songwriter Jamie White is the son of Zombies member Chris White and has inherited some of his dad’s talent, but the songs often play as a mix between ‘60s British Invasion and the ‘90s counterpart. One can hear those Kinks, Who, and Oasis influences long before they have a chance to take this band on its own terms.
The breezy acoustic pop that clogs most of the album is head-bobbing in a grinning Top Of The Pops sort of way, rather inconsequential but fun. The opening gritty garage pop of “Dress Me Up In Bruises” is promising and “Stars Fall” is slightly moody and very melodic, a sure strength of this band.
The superior closing piece “It’s All Nothing,” rides a Stone Roses-ish beat, wheedling guitar fills and lines like “Maybe Jesus loves you / But the rest of us want you to crawl.” It’s far and away the best song here and proof that these guys have a voice of their own. Pity that most of the rest of Suburban Sunshine fails to capitalize on those gifts, even if it is a pleasant summer listen.
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