June 09, 2004

Sleep Station "After the War"

Wow! I didn't expect this album--this concept album-- to be so...wonderful.

See, there's a definite reason to fear the concept album. I can only think of one or two wonderful, definitve concept albums in the history of rock and roll that really deserve the adjective of 'masterpiece.' For every The Wall and Tommy, there are twenty-two hundred really crap albums that are supposed to be 'conceptual' in nature. When the subject matter is about war, the slope gets really slippy; presenting such a heavy concept in a way that doesn't come off as preachy, bland or overambitious is almost impossible.

Sleep Station is a band I've never heard of until After The War, a concept album of sorts about World War Two. Instead of extreme, mindbending musicianship presented behind some really intense lyrics, Sleep Station's sound is a pure, smooth, easy-on-the ears pop-rock that's almost too mellow to be considered innovative. They compose songs that are heartbreakingly beautiful and almost all universally true, augmenting the tender, hauntingly beautiful words of leader Dave Debiak with acoustic guitars, brass, piano, mellotron, synths and sound collages. At times, I'm reminded of Elton John and Neil Young, at others I'm reminded of more modern troubadors The Decemberists and Neutral Milk Hotel, but ultimately, Sleep Station's sound is clearly their own.

Debiak has one of those voices that sounds smooth and heartbreaking, and the power of his small voice is utterly overwhelming on such tearjerkers as "Caroline, London 1940" and "Burden of You." Throw in some wonderful Beach Boys-style harmonies and the most sincere singing you'll hear all year, and you've got a winning combination. The only drawback is that the sound collages seem to be the only thing holding the war theme together, yet seem to be one of the only moments where you actually NOTICE the war element. I'm much more fond of the universal beauty of Sleep Station's music than I am about the notion of a 'thematic' record.

After a few listens, you'll soon realize that After the War's 'theme' is a very vague one. The war imagery and allusions to war in the song titles are probably the only real moments that stick to the 'war' theme. Yes, there's a recurring theme of war, but after a few listens, I just didn't think I was listening to The Final Cut. No matter, because you'll soon realize that the greater theme is that of love and loss and heartbreak and memory. After the War is about the feelings of being separated from someone you love and that longing in your heart that distance, whether you're overseas fighting a war or you're simply not communicating with your true love. After listening to the album a few times, you'll simply forget about the war concept, because you'll be taken in by Debiak's beautiful, touching words.

Even though the whole war thing doesn't really hold up, the grander theme of love and heartbreak is enough for me. After the War is one of those albums--one that you'll listen to over and over and over again, because you'll discover something new. Surprisingly hopeful, After The War will take your breath away. I predict that After the War is a record that will probably wind up being the underdog album of the year--and deservedly so. A much more satisfying, touching record I have yet to hear.

--Joseph Kyle

Artist Website: http://www.sleep-station.com
Label Website: http://www.eyeballrecords.com
Label Website: http://www.bardicrecords.com

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