Sleepy Sun
There ain't nuthin' pastiche about Sleepy Sun. Their sonic domain, while well-inhabited by venerated psych-rockers past, is without a doubt their natural habitat. The misty coastside mountains and rolling seafoam of their band birthplace, Santa Cruz (they're all up here in San Francisco now), would be well-soundtracked by their endlessly listenable debut full-length, Embrace, released last July to considerable underground buzz and appreciation. Recorded at the Hive Creative Labs up North in Burnaby, British Columbia with producer Colin Stewart (who's also recorded such heavy-hitters as Destroyer and Black Mountain), the eight-song, 44-minute album shows them to be a band of many equally compelling guises. Whether heavy as a thunderous Tony Lommi riff or as quiet and reflective as a finger-picked John Fahey track, the spaced, blissful place they create is stunning.
One could compare their heavier psych moments to Dead Meadow or to fellow Santa Cruz-bred group Comets on Fire, but their live show and Embrace quickly demonstrate that the group has carved out its own multifarious aesthetic. "New Age" kicks off the record with a rippin' acid-rock meltdown pairing inspired guitar soloing with blissful vocals. Then there's a track like "Golden Artifact", a gently ambling psych-folk cut that takes after hazy folksters like Gary Higgins, followed up by album single and should-be stoner anthem "White Dove." Holy graveyards does it shred, and with such ease!
Yet another album highlight, "Lord", is a soulful, piano-driven number in the vein of Spiritualized, one of several high-profile groups with whom they've been invited to perform alongside at "The Fans Strike Back" festival this May in Minehead, England. A coveted gig, to be sure, and one that, along with their headlining Noise Pop appearance, should widely expose their knockout tunes and obvious talent. MICHAEL HARKIN
