Sicbay

After the first listen, it becomes obvious as to why Sicbay’s third release sees this trio being ushered in with the affirmation that this is the record everyone should be begging for. Having drawn comparisons to everything from pre-synth Devo, Hüsker Dü, Jawbox and Slint, it’s hard to head into Suspicious Icons without any expectations — but any fear of disappointment soon dissolves. Fractured guitars accent vocalist Nick Sakes’ words that are divided between mangled, broken protests and a gentle purr. Casting shadows similar to those of rough-edged, guitar-heavy acts like the Dexateens and Federation X, but with enough pumps and jerks thrown in to keep things a little more frenetic, Suspicious Icons seems to roam around inside your head without any indication of ever leaving. With hints of where grunge left off in the late ’80s, this album offers up more than enough reasons for all the hype. Start begging.