We talked about Brighton based artist Suzie Stapleton quite a few times through her singles and videos. Here she is back with a self-recorded album with the help of Gavin Jay (JIM JONES AND THE RIGHTEOUS MINDS) on bass and drummer Jim MACAULAY (The STRANGLERS.) “We Are The Plague” opens the album on a dark pyche rock note with intense vocals and fuzzy guitars while “Thylacine” quiets things down, bringing PJ HARVEY to mind. Most songs have their own special atmosphere in a cinematic way, you can easily picture your own video clips while listening to “Blood On The Windscreen”, “September” or “Don’t Look Up” and its desert vibes among others. You’ll hear some gospel influences in “The River Song” and “Angel Speak”‘s beautiful intensity will make you travel very far in unknown territories. “You Were There” has a bit of a DOORS vibe with some 90s alternative influences thrown in while “In The Darkness” has a certain form of minimalism to it before it turns into chaos. We sometimes think of Anna Calvi‘s albums while listening to this record and it sure deserves the same kind of success! The ballad “Silence In My Bones” and “Negative Prophet” both bring a bit of peace near the end of the album, making you think that things could eventually get better in the end even though the question remains “Oh God, do you believe in me?”
“We Are The Plague” could be the soundtrack of this coronavirus age but there’s no doubt that it will stand the test of time. /Laurent C.
Veglam 