Archive for the ‘Wintersleep’ Category
Wintersleep – Welcome to the Night Sky Review
Winners of the New Group of the Year at the 2008 Juno Awards, these boys from Halifax have truly come a long way since they were signed in 2002 by Dependent Music before later being signed with Labwork Music in 2006, a partnership label between Sonic Unyon and EMI Music Canada. Their 2003 album Wintersleep and 2005 untitled album brought them mild success, however it was their third album Welcome to the Night Sky that sky-rocketed them to their current status: one of if not the most popular Canadian band out there, playing shows all over Canada and the US.
Now, I may be a little late on the review (the album was released a year ago) but it needed to be done. The first single off the album “Weighty Ghost” is probably the catchiest of all. It’s lyrics about playing hide and seek with one’s identity are the backdrop to a bouncy melody. Musically, it is different from anything the band has done before. On this track, they have traded their electric sound for a lighter, smoother sound that is a surefire crowd-pleaser at shows. But don’t be fooled, tracks like “Oblivion” and “Laser Beams” contain all the elements of classic hard-rock songs, both with a heavier sound. Somewhere in the middle are songs like “Archaeologists”, a catchy, upbeat tune, and “Drunk on Aluminum”, which alternates between a slow-paced, soft melody featuring the sound of light drumming on the symbol, and thrashing guitars and the booming snare drum.
Overall, this is a pretty sweet album. Its diverse variety of songs appeal to a much wider audience, however longtime fans are still easily able to identify their original sound, which has since evolved from their earlier albums, making it clear why they have been recognized as the best New Group of the Year. Out of all the bands emerging from the thriving Halifax music scene, Wintersleep is the leader of the pack, at least for now anyways. Hear more from the band on their website and MySpace.
Weighty Ghost by Wintersleep.mp3
Archaeologists by Wintersleep.mp3
