Canada’s Sleepless certainly didn’t give me much information to go off in terms of the background of the band. It is safe to say that I still don’t know too much about them now. What I do know is that their blend of progressive, hard rock is a strong sound for a band in their infancy. Mixing between soft and gruff powerful vocals, intricate guitar and bass work it is a sound that is not new but is being done well.
Opening track ‘So Low, Solo’ demonstrates brilliant vocal harmonies, twiddly emo vibe guitars and an outro reminiscent of ‘In Keeping Secrets…’ era Coheed and Cambria. ‘If I Were to Say’ is an example of a grittier sound, the song still holds that progressive vibe (albeit the shortest track on the EP) but it it develops from the softer tones of the opening track.
<a href=“http://sleepless.bandcamp.com/album/unsteady-hands” data-mce-href=“http://sleepless.bandcamp.com/album/unsteady-hands”>Unsteady Hands by Sleepless</a>
By the third track they have developed and brought together the sounds of the twiddly and intricate musicianship of the opener and heavier style of the following track to create what could be said is the definitive Sleepless sound. ‘Faces In Clouds’ and ‘Heavy Eyes’ both follow this style and there is not much else to say about them. ‘Anchored’ their closing track, provides a great finish with the accompaniment of strings and a familiar choral style ending.
As I have already pointed out this is a band in their infancy, and as I don’t know much of their background I can only presume things. If this is the members first band then for a début you couldn’t have a better starting point; they have a brilliantly produced selection of songs here. Their musicianship and song writing cannot be faulted, neither can their creativity. They are a group who with time, will get better and better, you cannot go wrong with a début this strong.
3.5/5
‘Unsteady Hands’ by Sleepless is available now on Bandcamp.
Sleepless links: Official Website|Facebook|Bandcamp
Words by Robert Maddison (@bertmaddison)
