V. The letter that plagued the unnamed anti-hero in Alan Moore's V for Vendetta, and whose shape was illustrated through narrative structure by author Thomas Pynchon (whom keen observers would know thrice appeared in The Simpsons wearing a paper bag with question mark mask).

In the case of David Sutton, V is for Victory. V is the best of the three David Sutton releases I have reviewed so far.

It's also worth mentioning, this is the case on the case of David Sutton's V, which features Sutton pulling a pose that throws back to "Tricky Dick" Nixon famously signalling victory in the Vietnam War (and his resignation from office in 1974).

With its three colour palate, the simple, yet effective cover has the aesthetic of a rare treasure of an LP, the type you'd find in a record shop if you only had some time and a handful of twenties in your backburner. Sutton has even gone as far as to separate the songs into Side A and B. It's the type of music that would go well on vinyl, though lovers of analogue would argue everything sounds better on vinyl.

Beyond being a throwback to the style of records of old, the cover represents the music in another way. Previous releases 40 and Cheese felt like scrapbook collages of ideas and influences, not unlike their covers. V on the other hand has more mature, and consistent sound and tone, as if it were conceived as a whole album, and not just a collection of songs that deserved a release.

Swinging between up and down beat, V is a journey into jazzy blues rock, narrated by David Sutton's distinctive singing voice. The keyboards with their Hammond organ tone add a new dimension to the record, another throwback to the vinyl days.

That's not to say the quirkiness of older releases is completely missing. Wine connoisseurs can tell you that a full bodied red has flavour hints of cherry, mown lawn and burnt toast.

V has hints of Bowie, Pink Floyd, Smashing Pumpkins in the track Space, and strangely, in the track Love Struck, Marilyn Manson, although I'm likely hearing the musical forefathers those more recent bands themselves referenced and were influenced by. Like the music of those bands, V is a culmination of the years of hard work and life lessons and everything that came before.

Let us hope V is Sutton's victory march, a sign of things to come, and not his resignation.

Like with previous releases there are video accompaniments on the David Sutton YouTube.

You can find V on the David Sutton Bandcamp or on Soundcloud, which also hosts his cover of High School Musical hit Breaking Free.

• 1
  Head Like A Hole
• 2
  Horror Story
• 3
  Fraser Ross
• 4
  Fur Patrol
• 5
  Degrees.K
• 6
  Michelle Rounds
• 7
  L.A.B.
• 8
  The Feelers
• 9
  Devilskin
• 10
  The Boondocks

• 
  Powder Chutes @ Underworld Tavern, Wellington - 30/11/2024
• 
  Haast Hunter @ Underworld Tavern, Wellington - 30/11/2024
• 
  The Bravo Uniform Mikes @ Underworld Tavern, Wellington - 30/11/2024
• 
  Half Queen @ The Others Way, Auckland - 30/11/2024

• 1
  APT.
  ROSÉ And Bruno Mars
• 2
  DIE WITH A SMILE
  Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars
• 3
  BIRDS OF A FEATHER
  Billie Eilish
• 4
  TASTE
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 5
  I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
  Gracie Abrams
• 6
  ESPRESSO
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 7
  SAILOR SONG
  Gigi Perez
• 8
  LOSE CONTROL
  Teddy Swims
• 9
  A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
  Shaboozey
• 10
  GOOD LUCK, BABE!
  Chappell Roan

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