SLEEP STATION
After the War (Bardic Records)
Reviewed by Erick Mertz

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Sometimes a record review should simply come down to the matter of what the reviewer intends to do with it once the task of writing is done: will they sell it at the local buy/sell/trade outlet and hope a bundle of rejects will yield a more desirable album OR will it end up with a place on his/her shelf? It really is the essence for me; a poll of my fellow reviewers to follow. If we all embraced this simple method, reviewing would be one of two words: keep or release.

The verdict is in: I am keeping Sleep Station's album After the War if only for its nice approximation of early 1970's FM radio. It calms me on the first listen, a rare trait for sure. For a concept album, it is amazingly cohesive and despite its "Foo Fighters-ness" I think it will fit nicely in between Sleater-Kinney and Slick Rick.

© 2004 - Erick Mertz