Sleep City – “Distance and Age”

When you Google Sleep City, the first entries you’ll find are links to mattress companies. While also comfy and made in the U.S., Sleep City’s debut LP Distance and Age is a collection of jams that combines high energy rock, intricate enough to be progressive or even experimental, but with hook-driven vocals that will leave you wondering why you’ve yet to hear this band on the radio.

I set that last sentence up as if it were a rhetorical question, but guess what? Joke’s on you because I have little to no idea besides the usual, “We live in the Matrix, and Agent Smith loves his electro-pop.” Even though the guitar tones tend to be a little more overdriven, there are certain elements, tonality and style, that remind me of Neon Trees. For example, during “Beneath the Leaves,” I found myself subconsciously humming, “It started with a whisper, and that was when I kissed her.” What are you implying, you might ask yourself. I’m implying that Sleep City has Top 40 potential. Stop interrupting me.

But, don’t be fooled, if you haven’t already taken a taste. There’s also a fair amount of bite to the band’s overall sound, comparable to their forefathers in Thrice. Suffice it to say that there are so many feels on this album that you could fill an 18 wheeler with Dawson’s Creek DVD box sets and still have surplus. Do you know how many feels that is? Almost too many, but that’s not possible.

Take the track “Ghost Town,” for example. Acoustic feels, even though performed with an electric clean guitar, that remind me of jazzier Jason Mraz tunage but with a hint more of sophistication. The song takes a bridge and gracefully crescendos into a full ensemble piece, sprinkled with a xylophone. I highly encourage the Starbucks patrons among you to buy this album instead of your morning Café Mocha. You’ll not only feel more alive, but you’ll be able to get your Sleep City buzz on whenever you want feels… too. #dyslexia

Track Listing:

01. Distance & Age
02. Beneath The Leaves
03. Worn Down
04. Four Walls
05. Ghost Town
06. So Close
07. Nothing To Lose
08. Four Seasons Love
09. Eye To Eye
10. No Cure
11. Numbers

Run Time: 41:36
Release Date: July 9, 2013

Check out the song “Distance and Age”