|
Written by: The Administrator
Welcome to Sleeping Village Micro-Reviews: Volume I! The following is a collection of very short reviews written in reaction to individual tracks submitted by a delightfully eclectic assortment of artists. The only thing the musicians featured herein all have in common? They responded to our following twitter prompt: "If you reply to this tweet within the next uhhhh 60 minutes with a link to one of your songs, I'll check it out and write a lil' micro review." And so here we are. Thank you to everyone who submitted tunes, I had a lot of fun doing this and will certainly be sending out a similar prompt again in the future. To everyone reading, I hope you find something lurking below that appeals to your tastes. Please note: we had a few submissions come in after the deadline--they will not appear here, but I will collect them all in a forthcoming Volume of Sleeping Village Micro-Reviews. If you are responsible for one of those submissions, fear not and stay tuned! Enough of my blathering. Without further ado: 
0 Comments
In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. Here's a mini-review of a crocodilian EP
Written by: The Administrator
Despite a respectable roster of dangerous critters dwelling 'round these parts, this particular scribe is fortunate to live in a place where crocodiles, um, don't. In my understanding--which is to say, quite probably in reality--these beasts frequently pluck unsuspecting adult human victims and drag them into the murky depths to drown in a scaly embrace. They represent the worst way to die, and only rank slightly below moose and hippos in the hierarchy of animals that I never want to encounter in the wild. Anyways. Listening to Edinburgh's own Cult Of Sobek is like unto the aftermath of a wrestling match with a killer croc: there's nothing left to do but succumb. Driven by a hypnotic trancelike churn and the threatening presence of bestial howls, the three tracks Cult Of Sobek deliver on debut EP Petsuchos represent the kind of damply organic and borderline psychedelic sound that I crave when it comes to crushing doom. Their sound is dredged from the mire, just the way I like it. There's a vicious aggression cleverly hidden underneath the trippier elements, and the constant sense of something lurking elevates each track in a way that I wasn't expecting. As a result, I've returned to this EP many, many times over the summer whenever the playlist requires some subtle menace. Despite feeling appropriately heavy and suffocating and bituminous, there's a sharpness that punctuates the tracks, both in terms of the cymbals throughout and sidewinding leads. In regards to the latter, look to both the title track and the tail end of "Maneater" where high-pitched leads squeal, providing excellent contrast. From a thematic perspective, the crocodilian elements shine through across the breadth of the EP. From a musical perspective, it is a very rewarding experience. Give a well-deserved listen to the mighty title track below, and check out the full EP here. Cult of Sobek - Petsuchos was released July 22nd, 2023 via Trepanation Recordings  Written by: The Administrator
In the vested interest of promoting Cool Shit that Fucks™, it is high time, methinks, to bring back a Sleeping Village feature that has been unfairly relegated to the ash heap of history. That's right, dear reader. It's time to reignite On The Horizon. Not a review per se, and not an album announcement, but a third secret thing that lurks awkwardly betwixt the two. The forthcoming project in question? Earthbong's third album, the appropriately entitled Church of Bong, which drops August 25th on some fun formats via Black Farm Records and Evil Noise Recordings--see below for release details. If the name sounds familiar, you may this trio's 2020 album Bong Rites, which we reviewed within these humble halls. 
Written by: Continuous Thunder
As a self-proclaimed aficionado of slow metal here in the Village, I find sludge metal to be one of the more intriguing sub-genres. While it’s often described as a combination of doom metal and hardcore punk, the application of those influences can vary widely from artist to artist. Naturally, this leads to a diverse pool of artists that can be described as sludge. How else would you end up with bands like Melvins and Isis under the same umbrella? I’m not usually one to stress over the minutiae of hyper-specific sub-genres and when it comes to sludge, I tend to trust my ears and I know it when I hear it. All that being said, They Grieve bring some heavy sludge. 
Written by: The Administrator
Given that this particular scribe's familiarity with (the reputedly well-acclaimed) Bloodborne verges on nonexistent, the thematic content lurking behind Soulmass' stellar Let Us Pray has zero impact on my experience. That's certainly not a bad thing–the music speaks for itself without the implicit weight of a fan's expectations when it comes to faithful lore. And damn, does the music ever speak to me. This album has been in consistent rotation ever since I received the promo, effectively holding my January and February listening habits in a fiercely tight and omnipresent stranglehold. One dreams of such albums at the top of the year. 
Written by: Continuous Thunder
What do early 20th-century serial killers, the Spanish Inquisition, and John Milton’s Paradise Lost have in common? Well, a few things, but in this particular instance, they partially inspire the first full-length album from Manchester, New Hampshire’s Dust Prophet, One Last Look Upon The Sky. Of course, these are all very dark and heavy subjects, but I can assure you that the band brings the musical heft to do them justice. Indeed, a weighty and apocalyptic atmosphere permeates the entire album, from the ethereal and mysterious intro track, “A Storm of Time & Space Part 1,” to the crushing resolution of “Bury Me Before Noon.” And the essential ingredients, the waves that carry you from shore to shore on this journey, are the almighty riffs! Dust Prophet provides fuzz-laden, head-nodding vibes contrasted nicely with quieter, haunting passages. This dynamic range is exemplified on tracks like “When the Axe Falls” and “Bury Me Before Noon.” Furthermore, ambient touches and other clever arrangements by bassist and keyboardist Sarah Wappler truly elevate the compositions and set them apart. The appropriately titled “Song 4” is especially rewarding, with new layers and complexities revealing themselves through multiple listens. 
Written by: The Administrator
The esteemable Heron are a perpetually underrated gem, and a band that continues to make its mark on our ink-splattered populace. Back in the primordial days of ye olde Sleeping Village, we briefly reviewed their (very good) A Low Winter's Sun, and in the early days of the pandemic, the excellent Time Immemorial received the Volt Thrower treatment and stamp of approval. It's my continuing assumption that everything Heron does is inherently high quality, and this latest album, Empires of Ash, may very well be their strongest and most consistent album to date. If you have enjoyed their back catalog, you'll inevitably find a lot to love with this latest. If Heron are a yet-unknown entity in your rolodex of sludgy post-metal bands, this album makes for a fantastic entry point. 
Written by: The Administrator
Each year, I inevitably spend a whole lot o' time with EPs. Is this due to my bafflingly short attention span? Yes. Is it also because EPs often feel like the perfect vehicle for a band to flaunt their strengths in a concise and well-trimmed manner? Also yes. Listening to a well-constructed EP is perhaps my favorite way to spend time with music, and so here I am, an eclectic collection of favorites gripped in outstretched grubby fingers. But first, some housekeeping! There are, assuming I counted correctly, 30 entries. I was planning on 20, but have no real interest in trimming a list of untrimmable favorites. In that spirit, hopefully you find something here that worms its way into your favorites as well. This list is not sorted by genre despite featuring a lot of different genres. I apologize for the whiplash, but sorting feels antithetical to the overall notion that listening habits should not be confined for the sake of convenient lists. And lastly, this is utterly unranked--if something appears here, please know that it comes highly, highly recommended! Anyways. Let's get into it.  Greetings, dear reader. It is once again listmas 'round these humble halls. Time, then, to look back the music that has defined our collective year. The non-exhaustive AOTY smorgasbord hath begun.
My personal EP and album lists shall follow in (less-than) good time, but before we get to that, the community speaks. This list is a collaborative effort, with ten distinct music writers, musicians, and fans lending a few words. Hopefully the variety of perspectives results in a list containing at least one or two releases that speak to you! This, of course, is far from exhaustive--indeed, every single one of ye could undoubtedly highlight a vast number of deserving albums not appearing here. A massive thank you is in order to everyone who contributed words and energy to this lil' project. As always, we couldn't have done it without ye! Please check out the writer's respective projects and links. This list constitutes the first five entries, with another five to follow. Read on! 
Written by: The Administrator
About, oh, 18 hours ago, the mere concept of Doom Ska had simply never entered my mind. Presently, the possibilities presented by the mere existence of the genre conglomerate in question have me pretty damn excited. This change is due solely to a single song from Cartoon Head–a track that sits confidently under the two minute mark, and notably enlists the service of brass hype to accentuate the churning see-saw riffage and bombastic vocal delivery. "Worse!" is, for sake of brevity, a ridiculously fun track. This thing rips. It has me pumped up and ready to flail my arms and legs in some gross attempt at dance. I wanna learn the lyrics so I can shout along. Why is it so short. I crave more. The guitar is nearly nauseating in a highly kinetic fashion–it pulls and pushes, instantly leaving the listener feeling a little ragdolled. The jubilant horns, while initially surprisingly, are significantly less overbearing than you might imagine, and ultimately fit very comfortably alongside the clanging guitar. They add a delightful emphasis to the track's carnivalesque mood and sense of bouncy momentum. I mean, shit. I was really taken off guard by this track in the best of ways. In a world of music that often feels referential and derivative–which, I hasten to add, is seldom a bad quality–Cartoon Head has put forth something that feels remarkably fresh. Maybe that's coming from a place of unfamiliarity, but from my perspective, “Worse!” feels uniquely original. Give it a well-deserved listen here! Cartoon Head - Worse! was released Nov. 25th via HVNG MVN RECORDS |
WELCOME!We provide thoughtful reviews of music that wakes us from slumber. Written by a highfalutin peasantry. Archives
July 2023
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed