Deep Sleep

After a series of seven-inch releases, Baltimore, MD pop-influenced aggressive punk outfit Deep Sleep finally get around to issuing a complete album. As expected with this ten-track affair, the band revel in their posi-punk and modest hardcore influences ― to absolute extremes. Taking the pace of proto-D.R.I. and smashing it into hooks culled directly from Adolescents and Descendents, every one of these tunes is a rousing excursion into punk rock's most formative days. Not content to sit on those influences, the entire affair is doused in a serious Take It Back, Take It On, Take It Over!-era 7 Seconds delivery, most notably vocally, then completed by flourishes of Greg Ginn's scratchy, wanky guitar passages. Subtly instinctual, overtly melodic and enduringly catchy, Turn Me Off is equal parts relief in seeing Deep Sleep continue their stellar output and excitement at having a new batch of catchy, upbeat ragers to jam into our subconscious.