Monday, February 04, 2008

A Late Winter.

While it took me a while to clue-in about the late 2007 Wintersleep release Welcome to the Night Sky, I can now say that it is one of my favourite albums released in 07. Better late then never, right?

The 5 piece out of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia has put together a real beauty here. This is the kind of album you can listen to from start to finish without thinking about skipping a track. Whether taking the train home for a much needed rest, or sitting down for a dinner with a great friend, you will find this album to be a spectacular addition to any setting in need of a warm musical complement.

The first single from Welcome to the Night Sky is a catchy tune called "Weighty Ghost", which features vocalist Paul Murphy's questions about death (reminiscent of Jesse Lacey in Brand New's "Jesus Christ"). The album is bookended by its strongest songs; the second track "Archaeologist" and the closer, "Miasmal Smoke & The Yellow Bellied Freaks" are true standouts. Both songs feature brilliant instrumental introductions that get your heart pumping, and then gracefully develop into poetic and vivid stories.

Wintersleep definitely deserve the newfound attention they are receiving. Welcome to the Night Sky is yet another reminder that good music from Maritime Canada doesn’t need to feature a fiddle and lyrics about getting pub-crunk. Well done me’ boys. Well done.

mca.

Wintersleep - Archaeologist

Wintersleep - Weighty Ghost
Wintersleep - Miasmal Smoke & The Yellow Bellied Freaks
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

i saw them last week. they sold out the phoenix. they're big time, now.

Anonymous said...

Finally! A review of this album that I can get behind. Everybody's been saying that Weighty Ghost is the "best track" on this album, and it's been bugging me. Don't get me wrong, I love it: singable, shimmering, joyous. But with songs like Archaeologist and Laser Beams and Miasmal Smoke, Weighty Ghost is kinda put on the backburner for me. Anyway. Thank you!