Sleep On It - Pride & Disaster (Album Review)
Sleep On It - Pride & Disaster
Released: September 13th, 2019
Lineup:
Zech Pluister // lead vocals
TJ Horansky // guitar/vocals
Jake Marquis // guitar/vocals
Luka Fischman // drums
Online:
Official website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Earlier this year, I felt like I found a gold mine when I came across Chicago pop/punk four-piece Sleep On It and their songs ‘Fireworks’ (featuring State Champs’ Derek DiScanio) and ‘Disconnected’. Since then, their first Equal Vision release Overexposed hasn’t left my playlist and when the boys announced they were releasing a brand new album, Pride & Disaster became one of my most anticipated releases of 2019.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxa_eWRAzaI&w=640&h=360]
Pride & Disaster jumps straight into an upbeat, catchy empowering summer tune ‘Racing Towards A Red Light’. Straight from the first riff, the vocal harmonies between Zech Pluister, TJ Horansky and Jake Marquis are on point. This track sets the vibe for the album perfectly, and the line “there’s a long road in front of me” feels so fitting for the first track. Hearing ‘Hold Your Breath’ for the first time was like a breath of fresh air, taking me back to the Yellowcard days, but Zech’s distinct vocals bring you back to present-day Sleep On It. ‘Hold Your Breath’ is a fucking anthem, with its empowering lyrics, soaring chorus and the loud guitars holding strong all the way through. This is the best song I’ve heard all year from the pop punk arena. ‘Babe Ruth’ also brings some good ol' nostalgia, but captures the youthful essence of pop punk perfectly.
The band’s lead single ‘Under The Moment’ explores feelings attached to anxiety and depression and the songwriting here is so relatable and catchy (“Take my hand // Pull me again // From under the moment // I Promise I won’t drag you down.”). This one shows all the evidence that Sleep On It will bring all of the epic singalong’s at their shows, but also have the ability to tackle such difficult issues such as mental health. ‘Fix the Dark’ is a loud, punchy alternative radio-friendly tune that fits perfectly into your “Pop/Punk’s Not Dead” playlist. This track is proof that Pride & Disaster is a life changing album for pop punk fans.
The band’s youthful essence can clearly be heard on ‘After Tonight’, a tongue-in-cheek playful song that’s full of explosive pop/rock hooks and what I’m calling as Sleep On It’s party song for this album. ‘Take Me Back’ showcases the band’s talent brilliantly and this track has the potential to become a staple in their music career. Very reminiscent of Mayday Parade, this song is awe-inspiring and the lyrics “Take me back to pride & disaster / Sunshine and laughter / Find the peace that I'm after” perfectly describes the overall essence of this album. ‘The Cycle of Always Leaving’ continues along similar vibes, being a lighthearted, summer tune about young love and lust.
It wouldn’t be a pop punk record without a song paying homage to the band’s hometown, and that’s exactly what ‘Logan Square’ is. Don’t be quick to mistake this for a similarly titled song from The Wonder Years, but ‘Logan Square’ is Sleep On It’s appreciation for their hometown of Chicago. It’s reflective, full of passion and you can definitely hear this in Zech’s voice. Rounding out the album is ‘Lost & Found’, a reflective statement of their career and life thus far. The lyrics here are empowering, and in turn is one of the more powerful tracks on this record.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoBaD9y1U3U&w=640&h=360]
I’m telling you now, do not sleep on Sleep On It. Pride & Disaster has the band’s sound nailed to a T, and it’s a game changer for the genre from here on out. Sleep On It have proven they’re capable of becoming a band to look up to here, perfecting catchy riffs, honing in on emotional, empowering lyrics and capturing the youthful, timeless essence that pop punk represents. I loved every single song of this album from first listen and I love these guys even more because of it. They are absolute legends and I’m so fucking stoked for the band's next chapter in their music career!
Sleep On It - Pride & Disaster tracklisting:
- Racing Towards a Red Light
- Hold Your Breath
- Babe Ruth
- Under the Moment
- Fix the Dark
- After Tonight
- Take Me Back
- The Cycle of Always Leaving
- Logan Square
- Lost & Found
Rating: 10/10(pop/punk album of the year!)
Pride & Disaster is out this Friday through Equal Vision Records. Pre-Order here!
Review by Tamara May (@citylightsTAM)
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOHYQD-5l_A&w=853&h=480]
