Album Review: Sleeping Bag Debut LP via Joyful Noise Recordings
Indianapolis’ Joyful Noise Recordings inked Bloomington based band Sleeping Bag in July and released their self-titled LP this month. The moving and shaking that it took to produce this album reflects the foundation that these tracks proclaim. It’s not perfect, and at times it can be redundant. Sleeping Bag‘s influences are readily apparent, and as a young band, they are still attempting to carve out a unique sound. Although innovation is lacking I think this melting pot is what makes their album more than tolerable and often down right fun.
Thoughts on Sleeping Bag:
- Slime – Good kicker. 90’s power chords. I immediately search for a current comparison. Diamond Rings fills the gap
- Sunroom – Simplistic vibe carries onward
- Rental – This song would rule on a jukebox
- Acer – Is Albert Hammond Jr. playing this riff?
- Beside – Giddy up!
- Desker – This song would do alright in Casbah.
- Minus – Thicky thick bass line.
- Ben – Acoustic shoots, vocals shine
- Someone – Bros went Lo-Fi with this one.
- Scone Zone – Lacking feeling
- Another Time – Do! Do! Do! Do! Do!
Buy Sleeping Bag’s latest release on Bandcamp. http://sleepingbag.bandcamp.com/. It is YOUR opportunity to support local music.
Written by Brett McGrath
Album Review: Gardens & Villa via Secretly Canadian
Gardens & Villa, the self-titled debut LP out of Santa Barbara, CA, has remained a repeated listen since it first dropped July 5th. This dreamy, stoner take on post-punk California rock has proven a tough album to put down.
The disc opens with “Black Hills.” The sound is not dissimilar to their Secretly Canadian label mates Suuns. Though comparisons can be drawn, G & V’s sound is much more organic and accessible. Much of this is due to lead singer Chris Lynch’s soaring vocals.
“Cruise Ship,” the second song on the album brightens things up with a shinier keyboard line than “Black Hills” coupled with big handclaps. Gardens & Villa extend their hand insistent you join their trip:
This is how God made us to live
On California, the cruise ship
Bring your wife and your kids
California the cruise ship
The album hits its stride with “Orange Blossom.” Bouncy keyboards and flute float together above a wah pedal-driven bass line. This song is intoxicating and would work well in any DJ’s late night repertoire. With a track like this, it is hard to imagine how G & V escaped the California labels, landing instead in Bloomington.
G & V risk sending listeners into nap mode on “Chemtrails” heading directly toward sleepy, stoner territory. Bass drum, tambourine, bass, ambient piano riffs and a cello all dance quietly together as if the last song in some kind of opiate-laden high school dance. Heady stuff:
I don’t really want to go home
To places where they keep time
To places where we’d never find
Dandelions fly high
Through the marmalade sky
The last two lines serve as a Beatles reference. This proves apt as the track would feel at home amongst their LSD infused productions like Yellow Submarine. Not to worry, “Star Fire Power” picks the pace back up with a foot tapping, disco feel.
Gardens & Villa has the strange ability to sound similar thoughout without ever feeling redundant. The band hasn’t broken the mould musically, but the bottom line is this is REALLY good shit. Spare yourself the iTunes bonus track—a terrible, synth-heavy remix of “Orange Blossom.” The original does just fine, thank you.
Thought on Tracks 