CORPORATE LINE: Writing a concept record about a war might seem a bit lofty for most bands, but if you consider Sleep Station’s apt penchant for cinematic scope and big ideas, it’s a perfectly logical muse. Sleep Stations carefully nuanced lyrical/musical ambitions are as much influenced by their sonic-fetishist impulse, as well as Dave’s hermetic work ethic. Debiak, along with drummer/percussionist Daniel Goodwin, bassist Ryan Ball and guitarist/arranger Brad Paxton, recorded much of After The War at their collective home studio Electric Fence in New Jersey leaving the audiophiles room to fully explore, tweak and expand until they were sated.
THE GREAT:
“After The War” – Leave it to an indie label to find a good rock band.
“A Final Prayer Part 2” – If you need to cry this song could bring you to the verge of tears.
“Burden To You” – Gorgeous.
“Come Back Again” – Simple, yet lush with that special ingredient so many bands are missing. What is the ingredient? I have no idea, but it is the type of song where you hang on to list to each word.
“A Soldiers Dream” and “With You Now” – Brilliant. It takes a few listens to wrap your head around the songs. I know I’m singing it loud and out of tune.
THE AVERAGE:
“Caroline, London 1940” – It’s hard to call the song average—it’s somewhere in between great and average. Maybe it’s the falsetto in the chorus that put me off, either way it continues the saga.
“Waiting” – A touch of jazz opens while you get sucked in.
THE BAD:
Zilch.
FRANKLY: Sleep Station has gone after the concept album and that takes nerve. It works and not in the Ben Folds Five vein either–so don’t go there. Bardic Records has a golden egg that shouldn’t go unnoticed. Sleep Station have a shimmering sound that will remind listeners of Fountains of Wayne yet sound completely unique. Where has all the rock gone you ask? To the indies that’s where.
+ Charlie Craine
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