Armor For Sleep

Smile for Them is Armor For Sleep’s follow up to the depressing concept album, What To Do When You Are Dead. With a title like that, you wouldn’t think that Armor For Sleep could get more melancholy, but Smile for Them tries its hardest.

The album opens with the title track, which asks what you would do if you found out your whole life was scripted without your knowledge (The Truman Show, anyone?). The opening song seems out of place with the rest of the tracks, which are mostly about failed relationships and struggling with one’s inner nature. The exception is the disc closer, “Stand in the Spotlight”, which brings the media metaphor full circle from “Smile For the Camera.”

The album as a whole is dark, with lyrics that seem more disturbing the more you read them. “You will all die in Williamsburg/You will all die” (from “Williamsburg”) and “Tidal waves are gonna swallow your town alive/Terrorists are going to poison all our skies/Bodies are gonna wash up on the beach” (from “End of the World.”)

At least they’ve varied their guitar work. The acoustic work of “Lullaby” is a welcome change towards the end of the album, and I liked the interesting riffs in “Hold the Door”, as well as the heavier guitar in “Run Right Back In.”

The interesting side effect from listening to this album is that you just want to hug and/or slap Ben Jorgensen and tell him to put a freaking smile on his face. I don’t think Armor For Sleep have written a happy song yet. That can’t be healthy.  [ END ]

Track Listing:

01. Smile For The Camera
02. Williamsburg
03. Somebody Else’s Arms
04. Hold the Door
05. Run Right Back In
06. Snow Globe
07. End of the World
08. Stars In Your Eyes
09. Lullaby
10. Chemicals
11. My Saving Grace
12. Stand in the Spotlight

Run Time: 47:00