The Sleeping play an original concoction that is part punk, part rock, part hardcore and a smattering of other genres. No, the band was not asleep when creating this music, nor are they flailing to find their own sound. They are masters of each sub-genre they touch and ooze originality from top to bottom.
As a band, the Sleeping is potently delicious to the ears. Vocalist Douglas Robinson’s vocals effortlessly toggle from aggressive shout/scream to a calming soothing voice. Robinson is always on the mark regardless of the vocal style he is employing, which is a plus compared with the thoughtful lyrics, such as those on “Sunday Matinee (Sunday Morning).” They come across as a dreamy motif when he sings “Slide show incarcerated with grief / and I know times have changed / in our eyes.”
Likewise with the guitar of Cameron Keym, who shines in the dreamy “Funus-Eris.” Likewise with the bass of Salvatore Mignano, who shines in “Sunday Matinee (Reel To Real).” Likewise with the drums of Joseph Zizzo in “The Big Breakdown (Day 2).” This song in particular is The Sleeping at their best. A top of Keym’s airy fast guitar lick, Mignano and Zizzo punctuate together with single syncopated notes. Robinson’s lyrics are heart-wrenching when he sings about “Lying in bed / this hotel reeks of home sickness, though, I for one am sick of going home / Vomiting / I whisper out your name / but you just left me here / I whisper out your name.”
“If Your Heart Was Broken, You’d Be Dead,” as explained in the liner notes, is a poke at the emo craze that sprung up everywhere. With a lot of overdubbed voices and a searing guitar riff that peaks at the 3:06 mark, this song is excellent.
A bonus included with this release is a DVD with studio footage of the band as they record, jam and ham it up for the camera. It is a compliment to the excellent audio portion of this release, which shows a band not afraid to take chances.
