New Haven Advocate – 20 September 2001
By Craig Gilbert

Artsy – Hold the Fartsy

Of all the additives mixed into rock, the toughest to blend and most often annoying is “art.” Too much “art” ruins the “rock” and leaves you with far too many dBs of “dopey, pompous boredom.” Fortunately, the trio of Suran Song in Stag throws down a mutli-visual barrage of driving rock that avoids all the pitfalls.

While the bed sheet-draped walls flicker and fill you eyes with slide-projected images of band members, words and phrases, bugs, medical photos and battling pre-schoolers, your ears get all smiley with a Gang-of-Four-obsessed, bass-fueled, peppy rhythmic shove. The band plays a wide variety of risky covers with a distinct SSiS bend to them, and a fistful of its owns tunes to boot. (I say “risky” covers ’cause hey, would you toss a kazoo solo into a cover of “Open Your Eyes” by Lords of The New Church?) The sound is comprised of some sharpley filed drum beats, fuzz-laden bass loops chock full of effects and distortion and vocals provided by a whirling pixie singing somewhere between P.J. Harvey and Carrie at her prom. And the musicians dress up like cowboys and Indians. Not only are cowboys and Indians cool, it’s also the name of the band’s thoroughly listenable double CD (Cruel Music Records).