Sleepy Sun | Spine Hits

The End (2012)
By PERRY EATON  |  April 10, 2012

ss1

San Francisco's Sleepy Sun have been recognized in recent years for their hand in the resurgence of West Coast psychedelia. Here, on their third full-length, the quintet exchange a bit of their obscurity for a more palatable supply of washed-out guitar and reverb. The album lacks electricity in the leadoff tracks, but gains plenty of momentum by song three, slow-building "Siouxsie Blaqq." Sure, the band have trimmed some of their excess fat, creating a more radio-friendly offering, but tunes like the penultimate "Deep War" provide tasty hooks while retaining some of the vibrant glow of their previous material. They've maintained their signature sound; they've just cleaned up the corners a bit. Perhaps the best preserved element is the strong, sandpapery singing of Bret Constantino. And they even stretch out a bit on the atmospheric "Martyr's Mantra," clocking in at just over six minutes. Spine Hits as a whole is a tighter operation, less intended to soundtrack your mushroom trip, but a worthy attempt to bridge the gap to the mainstream.

SLEEPY SUN + THE NEW HIGHWAY HYMNAL + WHITE HILLS | Church, 69 Kilmarnock St, Boston | April 12 @ 8 pm | 21+ | $10 | 617.236.7600

Related: The Figgs | The Day Gravity Stopped, Various Artists | Casual Victim Pile: Austin 2010, Bearstronaut | Broken Handclaps, More more >
  Topics: CD Reviews , Music, Arts, Church,  More more >
| More


Most Popular
ARTICLES BY PERRY EATON
Share this entry with Delicious
  •   PISSED JEANS | HONEYS  |  March 06, 2013
    On one hand, the album is a dazed Frankenstein's monster — the frantically paced "Health Plan" shows half-man, half-creature savagery.
  •   FOXYGEN BECOME NEW AMBASSADORS  |  February 26, 2013
    Los Angeles-based duo Foxygen have received a healthy dose of attention following January's Jagjaguwar release of We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic .
  •   THE MYSTERIOUS WAYS OF SONNYMOON  |  January 29, 2013
    The ways of musical success are many.
  •   WHAT'S F'N NEXT? METZ  |  November 14, 2012
    The joke's on you if you still think Canada is just our laid-back, friendly neighbor up north. Futher proof to the contrary: Toronto's METZ, who would lead you to believe that Canada is one big furious mosh pit.
  •   PRETTY & NICE, SAME AS THEY EVER WERE  |  November 01, 2012
    It has been four years since Pretty & Nice released their standout full-length, Get Young , but they are quick to reassure us that their motives have changed little.

 See all articles by: PERRY EATON