Justin H. Jacobs

Wild Smile begins with the words:

Save your body. Save your mind. Save your love for me.

On paper, it sounds like a plea. Almost desperate. Please, it reads. Please don’t go anywhere. Stay with me. Save your soul for mine – they got along so well, didn’t they?

But put to melody, the lines take flight. Simple, repetitive, honest. Sincere, but playful. The meditative melody inflates the words like a hot air balloon. And right there, found in the first minute of Suckers’ debut album, lies what will become the band’s trademark, the quality that distinguishes it from every other kinda arty, kinda pretentious, kinda danceable new band that’s popped up in the last year. It’s Suckers’ sincerity. Wild Smile is often weird as hell, but we believe it, because it sounds like the band really believes it too. It’s the type of sincerity most often seen in children playing: they’re warriors on a cross-the-globe mission (while running around the backyard), they’re creating the Mona Lisa (out of finger paint), they’re building a giant castle (out of pillows in the living room). Wild Smile is the sound of Suckers playing — it’s serious fun. Continue reading