Not much grows in the desert.
The heat sees to that. Vast swathes of earth as far as the eye can see, only interrupted by a single track that stretches off towards the horizon. Oh, and Sleepy Sun – they’re out there as well.
A rambling, vagabond psychedelic collective, the band’s stoned, Sabbath jams have made them cult heroes. Returning to the desert with Queens of Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal alumnus Dave Catching, Sleepy Sun laid down material for their new album under the ceaseless California sun.
Managing to find their focus out there in the sand, Sleepy Sun have uncovered a rich seam of pop gold. Typically, though, their sun bleached meditations on the pop song are unlike anything you’ve heard before.
Out through ATP on April 9th, ClashMusic have managed to obtain a stream which you can listen to below.
– – –
…and here’s a Track x Track guide to the album, courtesy of Sleepy Sun.
1. Stivey Pond
a reminder to cherish the present moment.
inspired by a body of water in Pollock Pines, CA.
2. She rex –
one of the first songs we wrote for the album.
This song is about “the only friend I ever had”, hypocrisy and narcissism. One potential title was “the sink”
3. Siouxsie Blaqq –
about a real gal met on the bus in san francisco. Despite the brief encounter, Siouxsie will remain a legend, as she will forever be known as the ‘colorful ideal’.
4. Creature –
-recorded live
sometimes bearing the soul unveils ugly innards… wrapped in patent leather, lounging on a beach in thailand, sipping fresh pineapple and vodka drinks.
5. Boat Trip-
-recorded almost entirely live, vocals and all, just before dawn.
grandfather and I, sitka, Alaska. Nasty hoagies.
Salmon, halibut.
Tecate over colloquies.
percussion was completely reworked in the studio and adapted to the feel of the record. The sound: an overturned kick drum “boom”, visiting the kick rim with the shaft of a timpani mallet, and dampening from the cabin shag carpet. It’s all in the mic placement. Ethan Allen’s wisdom:”the drum is only part of the sound “(roughly 1/3 by my measure) and the room is part of the sound, and the mics are part of the sound. There are no good sounding drums. It’s a properly placed and mic’ed drum tuned well that sounds good. Wise words.
6. V.O.G.
Adventures of two buds in Big Sur. REI. Archers, quivers and all. Dave Catching lays a guitar solo.
7. Martyr’s Mantra
The lyrics were inspired by an exercise given to students of schizophrenia. The exercise requires the students to wear headphones in which they hear voices, hard-panned in either ear, of the female “It’s you. Its you’re fault,” and of the man, “Swine!” So I imagined giving in to self-ridicule, and embracing the darkest of endings, purely out of devotion to death, and the birth of all things true.
Percussion: this is the first official Sleepy Sun track recorded to a click track. Partial inspiration from Johnny Greenwood, and perceived tension of two trains moving over old tracks parallel but in opposite directions. there will be blood . and the curiosity of hitting drums where not originally intended, the rims. “solo” never actually finished.
8. Still breathing
a little song written in Pollock Pines, CA during a week-long session in the summer of 2010, at Theilbar’s Cabin. The drone is the magic that comes with recording with Tim Green (Louder Studios located in SF at the time).
9. Yellow End
“tour”
10. Deep War
This song went through several different incarnations up to the very last moment it was recorded. Touches on youth’s rebellion.
11. Lioness (requiem)
A tale from a trip through Kruger National Park. Murder is real.