Review by Shannon Shumaker
Sleep On It’s new EP, Safe Again starts strong with big vocals and an explosion of sound with “Glass Bones.” Within moments, its easy to tell just what Sleep On It are all about, as this opening track has everything that makes Safe Again strong – a catchy chorus, melodic vocals and some memorable gang vocals, all layered on top of easy to listen to guitar work that carries the song forward. “Glass Bones” is easily the strongest song on the album, which is both a pro and a con.
“Dwell,” the second song on the album is a nice change of pace and very different sounding from “Glass Bones.” With low vocals and distorted guitar work that sound very similar to Citizen, I almost thought that I wasn’t even listening to the same band until the bright chorus came in. That’s not a bad thing, however, as the contrast between the first and second song is one of the best parts of the EP – it keeps you interested and showcases Sleep On It’s versatility. This band is totally capable of writing a super poppy intro track alongside a rather dark somber song, and it totally works.
The thing is, the band doesn’t really explore this great diversity that they establish with “Glass Bones” and “Dwell” throughout the rest of the EP, though. Save for the first two songs, there isn’t really anything that pops for me on this EP. The songwriting is solid, the instrumentation supplements the strong vocals very well, but many times throughout the EP, I found myself waiting for a “wow” moment that didn’t come. Don’t get me wrong, though – there are absolutely quite a few strengths on Safe Again, such as the catchy chorus, strong lyricism and great guitar work on “Talk Slow,” one of the stronger songs on the EP.
“Memorial Day” brings Safe Again to a surprisingly strong close, despite its slow and mellow quality. The great thing about this final track is the way it differs from the rest of the album, proving yet again Sleep On It’s strengths. This is a band that can shine on super poppy tracks such as “Glass Bones,” will captivate you with darker, more emotional songs like “Dwell,” and will win your heart over with soft songs like “Memorial Day.” If it does anything, Safe Again shows loads of potential for Sleep On It – with a full length and plenty of space to showcase their versatility, this band will shine.
Rating: 3/5
Listen to “Glass Bones”