You are probably familiar with Dave Suh’s work, even if his name doesn’t immediately ring a bell. He’s been an integral part or leader of several groups over the years, most notably The Assembly, Caviar, Woolworthy, and (the band I first saw him in) Emil Muzz. Suh quietly became one of the sharpest guitar players in Chicago, honing his skills in bands that explored different terrains, always expanding his grab bag of techniques and sounds so he had just the right line and vibe for every stab or slathering of his guitar.
The new album Set To Begin from Dave Suh & the Dirty Wings isn’t the first time Suh has taken the frontman position, but it does sound like the first time Suh is embracing a more personal sound, while collaborating with bassist Johnny Furman and drummer Loren Guzik.
There’s a new sense of organic exploration here as Suh searches out sounds to amplify what he’s hearing on the inside. Instead of familiar licks that serve as sonic shorthand, on Set To Begin Suh has adjusted his guitar to feel warmer and more enveloping, all while truly rawking and rolling with a freedom I haven’t heard from him before. Suh also works his low tenor into higher and more interesting spaces, creating a broader palette than I’ve heard from him in the past, adding a whole new dynamic layer that lifts this current batch of songs and makes them thrum.
Suh has shed the more synth or goth-driven aspects of his songs and replaced all of that with more guitar and a focus on songs that might elicit a sing-along. To my ears it’s equal parts Badfinger and Dinosaur Jr at times, and then Suh will slip in a stadium sing-along like “Wait For Me.” Set To Begin is a joyous trip worth taking with Suh and his Dirty Wings
Dave Suh & the Dirty Wings play an album release show for Set To Begin tonight at Montrose Saloon, with Cisco Pike, badcandy, and The Bon Mots.
Set to Begin by Dave Suh & The Dirty Wings