Various Artists: The Sound Supply: Supply Drop #2

Indie music is a wonderful thing. Artists releasing albums without having to cater to the wants and desires of record labels have a step-up to those chained down to demanding producers. A big problem for indie artists, though, since they don't have the label to back up their distribution, is getting their music out to the public. They don't have a lot of press unless the listener already knows who they are, and it's difficult for them to get word out. The Sound Supply is one of those fantastic mediums that helps indie artists really spread their sound, opening a small artist up to a group of people that will take to their musical ideas with widespread arms. If you haven't heard of The Sound Supply before, it's really worth a look at their "Supply Drops", because they sell a LOT of great music for a most excellent price. They feature bands like Owen, Matt Pryor, Jeremy Enigk, TS and the Past Haunts, and other indie names to get to know and love. If you want to support indie bands but don't have a lot of income, it's definitely worth it.

You can find the second Supply Drop at Sound Supply's site here.

Album Review: Sleeping at Last - Yearbook - April EP

Most bands just try to put out an album maybe every year (or two, or three...).  Sleeping at Last, on the other hand, is putting out 3 songs every month for 12 months, meaning they will have 3 albums' worth of content by the end of the year.  It takes a special band to attempt such a monstrous undertaking; and so far, the level of consistent quality the band has maintained is a mark of what kind of band Sleeping at Last is. But in the stretch of 36 songs, written and recorded at such a pace, there were always bound to be weak points. April is one of these weaker installments in the project. 

Free Sleeping At Last Album

I don't think it's a stretch to say that if you're reading a music blog, there's a great chance that you love free music. You know what is even better than free music? Free music that isn't just a sampler or EP, but a full length album that will sweep you off your feet. Sleeping At Last is in the midst of completing their current Yearbook EP project, and they are celebrating their monthly releases by offering their last full length, Storyboards, for free through Noisetrade.com for one month. One of my favorite releases from 2009, Storyboards retains the quiet indie "sound" of bands like Lovedrug and Copeland, while keeping the poppy, theatrical instrumentation and Ryan O' Neal's impressive falsettos present and apparent through every song. There's no good reason to avoid heading over to Noisetrade and download Storyboards right now. If that isn't enough to satiate your Sleeping at Last needs, the duo's newest Yearbook release, April, is in online stores now as well.

Album Review: Sleeping At Last - Yearbook - March EP

Is it that time of the month again? Sleeping At Last have graced us yet again with another Yearbook EP, and where February lost me, March has ensnared me once more in the pervasive beauty of Sleeping At Last once again.

Adventuring as they did in January, Sleeping At Last begin March with a beautifully orchestrated instrumental piece that floods the listener with all the joys of the duo's piano work and robust string work. "Pacific," was born for cinema-quality moments in time, and it is wonderful to hear Sleeping At Last flex their instrumental prowess again.

Album Review: Sleeping At Last - Yearbook - February EP

Keeping up with Sleeping At Last's monthly EP progress since last October has been an enthralling, if a little exhausting journey. But for every cynical thought that's entered my mind, doubting the consistency of quality in their next release, Sleeping At Last have been able to wash all doubts and misgivings I've had about their eventual span of 36 songs. While Yearbook - November saw the advent of my favorite Sleeping At Last material to date and Yearbook-January saw the birth of beautiful instrumental work, Yearbook-February seems to have reached a stagnant phase within the project.

Sleeping At Last - Yearbook: January

What better way to start the year than to a new Sleeping At Last album? The band had started a project back in October to release a three song EP every month for a year, and this is the fourth installment of the series. Each of the songs definitely go along with the winter season, as the mellow sounds of the keys, string arrangements, and varied percussion along with the falsetto of singer Ryan O'Neal allow the listener to feel the winter wonderland through their ears. January features the wonderful talents of Jeremy Larson to create the string arrangements heard in all the songs; however, all the song writing was by the two members of the band. Sleeping At Last is one of those mellow bands that just startle you with their talent, and allow you to just lay back, relax, and enjoy the music. Buy January here.