Search - Wintersleep :: Untitled

Sleeper of the season.

Luke Rounda | Lawrence, KS | 10/26/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wintersleep have the most appropriate band name in recent memory. And they seem to realize it -- both this and their 2003 release are eponymously titled "Wintersleep." Both records deliver a frosty acoustic-electric blend of Canadian indie rock at its finest.



Paul Murphy's vocals are a big part of the snowy, mesmerizing ambience Wintersleep create. On the louder numbers, they're raspy and world-weary, but Murphy exercises enough control to sing on key; on softer songs, his throaty croon is suitably mystifying. All said, he lands somewhere between J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr) and Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave).



"Wintersleep" plays like the first snowfall: a torrent of harder, pounding tunes like "Lipstick" and "Jaws of Life" open the record and gradually melt into softer, whisper-sung songs filled out by pseudo-choral sections. The "da da da da da da" bit on "Migration," for instance, is the perfect soundtrack for staring out a window on a cold night.



It's obvious that an almost maternal care went into creating "Wintersleep," and this band has a lot of potential to appeal to a very wide-reaching audience. I've heard Pearl Jam fans rant about them, and Wintersleep would also most likely appeal to fans of Nada Surf's most recent two records as well. Truth be told, though, anyone with an itch for meticulously-crafted moderate rock could find something to enjoy here. They may be in hibernation at the moment, but this record is one of the season's sleepers. Highly recommended."

ATLANTIC CANADA'S FINEST

Patrick Dawe | NFLD | 07/16/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It was 3 years ago that I first heard this band play in a small club in St. John's, NFLD. My friend had told me to go see another band and wintersleep was the opener. I was totally mesmerized by thier live set that i had to go and buy the album. I have listened to it many times since then and seen them 4 more times in concert. This new album broadens the musical horizons of the band. The songs are more heartfelt and more down to earth than thier previous effort. Tracks like jaws of life and Dance Macabre make you feel what the band was feeling when recording these songs. Great production makes this record seem as if it was recorded live and not in a studio. Great album, great songs and this band will be around for a long time."