Sleep Good: “Strange Vacations”
For Austin’s Sleep Good, it’s all about the method. Featuring former members of Sound Team, the quintet records straight to an analog tape machine, often using vintage guitars and synthesizers. But even if the tools are old-fashioned, the music is forward-thinking.
After the dissolution of Sound Team in 2007, the group’s principal songwriters–Matt Oliver and Bill Baird–formed TV Torso and Sunset, respectively. While those local acts have received a lot of ink the past few years, Sleep Good’s Will Patterson has made a name for himself as both a producer and songwriter. Last year saw the release of Sleep Good’s debut album as well as a collection of demos and a cassette-only EP. There’s a major creative vein running through all of these releases–despite their varying lengths and fidelity, Sleep Good make sure to ground their experiments with a strong pop sense that recalls the playfulness of the Kinks and the brainy hooks of Harry Nilsson.
The band’s latest work is Strange Vacations, a cassette-only EP that proves Sleep Good is a young band to watch. Despite being released on the winter solstice last year, the EP is a must-listen for this summer. You can catch the band tonight at the Mohawk, and in the meantime take a listen to the EP’s title track below.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Podcast: Download (4.0MB)
