Sleeper Set Sail

Apparently not trusting their listeners to visualise metaphors, Sleeper Set Sail indeed have an eye done up in a deep fire red and black, menacingly gazing at the unknowing listener. Of course, this is not an art review, and the music inside, while more appealing, also deals in the lacking subtlety department. While the opening of "Celeste” and the two interludes showcase some interesting ideas, the songs themselves tend to blur together in an emotional hard rock formula currently being peddled by shaggy-haired youngsters everywhere. While songs like "Killing Birds with Stones” do showcase a snarl and energy, their blazing live show still seems to exude more than even that song. Only in the last third do Sleeper Set Sail decide to drop the heavy sound and show us their lighter, more effective musical side. "The Woods on Fire” could be compared to musical peers the Used and their more poppy side, while "All My Reasons” gets in some good harmonies and pining moments to leave the listener in a good place. While these young ones can rip it up with a guitar, they seem to be hiding different sonic interests, and this internal fight doesn’t seem to make for the most cohesive statement.