Sleepless: An Alblum Review

It’s been said that bands produce their best music before they become famous. The theory is that this is when a band will put the most time and energy into their art, as they struggle to gain the attention of fans and producers. The Internet offers networking opportunity to up-and-coming musicians and is an excellent platform for new artists to have their music heard. However, the Net is saturated with pirated music. This has created a new kind of music industry, allowing listeners to access free music legally. There is no better time to experiment with different types of music than the present. Why not explore your local music scene through the Web, especially when hard-working musicians are offering their art for free? (Don’t forget to show your support at their live shows!)

Sleepless is an alternative rock group from the Simcoe County area. Their music is soothing but heavy, and provides a comfortable medium between soft rock and melodic metal.  Musicians Ben Scriver, Cameron Zwicker and Nathan Dale offer their deep and poetic album download, UnsteadyHands, free on their website.The group is an excellent introduction to heavier music for those who may shy away from deeper lyrics. The contrast of calm vocals and soul-felt screams have the potential to bring one to tears, as the delicate melodies hypnotize the mind.

Immediately after hitting play on my iPod and listening to the song “So Low” for the first time, I had the urge to close my eyes and let the music take me away on an auditory journey. My taste in music can be considered somewhat juvenile, as I often lean towards upbeat pop tunes and shy away from heavy music. However, Sleepless has made an unsuspecting fan of me. The crescendos tell a story and keep me interested. I can only describe the emotions I felt as the music filled my room as consuming. It was as if I was standing in an oasis under a heavy waterfall, basking in the sun’s glory. I am not exaggerating. The sound is that moving.

The group recently toured from Toronto to Canada’s east coast with a couple of bands where they paid tribute to our nation’s roots. Staying in the suburbs of Montreal and enjoying home-cooked meals and more than a couple brews, the band felt creative and decided to do some recording in the family’s bathroom. After admittedly having a few too many wobbly pops, the rest room acoustics were in full swing. Unfortunately we won’t have the pleasure of hearing the down-to-earth beats as the recording proved sub-par to the live experience, but I imagine the sound in that bathroom was marvelous.

I would recommend the band’s debut EP, Unsteady Hands, to anybody of any age group. This may be the heavier alternative rock band you can convince even your parents to listen to.