Moderate Rock

Suntitle are stepping out of the shadows. While the New Jersey outfit’s first EP showed talent and potential, it felt like it was in black-or-white or something. Weighed down, frowning. It wasn’t tough to listen to, but it wasn’t exactly easy either. ‘Pure Forever’ is made of many of the same alt rock ingredients but, essentially, finds the band letting a little light in. You can hear it straight away too. After 20 seconds of satisfying chunky distortion, opener ‘Big Jawn’ blooms- first into a gentle, weaving rhythm and then a commanding chorus that makes equal space for washes of guitar and Joe McGarvey’s catchy vocal melody. Like Basement or Title Fight before them, Suntitle have worked out that this sort of shoegazey punk sounds so much better when it’s warm and sun-dappled rather than washed-out and drowning underwater. There’s still work to be done- Suntitle sound too much like their influences and peers at times and a dash more originality would make the band vital- but ‘Pure Forever’ is powerful stuff. Easy listening.